The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has signed a multi-year deal that will grant YouTube exclusive global rights to the Oscars, beginning in 2029 with the 101st ceremony and running through 2033, Variety reported.
ABC, where the film industry's biggest night has aired for decades, holds the rights to the telecast through 2028.
According to the outlet, the Oscars - including red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes content and the Governors Ball - will be available live and free on YouTube to viewers around the world, as well as to YouTube TV subscribers in the United States.
There will continue to be commercials during the Oscars on YouTube, according to sources familiar with the matter, Variety reported.
Architects of the agreement said they hope the move to YouTube will help make the Oscars more accessible to "the Academy's growing global audience", through features such as closed captioning and audio tracks available in multiple languages.
"We are thrilled to enter into a multifaceted global partnership with YouTube to be the future home of the Oscars and our year-round Academy programming," Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said in a joint statement, as quoted by Variety.
"The Academy is an international organisation, and this partnership will allow us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible, which will be beneficial for our Academy members and the film community. This collaboration will leverage YouTube's vast reach and infuse the Oscars and other Academy programming with innovative opportunities for engagement while honouring our legacy. We will be able to celebrate cinema, inspire new generations of filmmakers and provide access to our film history on an unprecedented global scale," Kramer added.
"The Oscars are one of our essential cultural institutions, honouring excellence in storytelling and artistry," YouTube CEO Neal Mohan said.
"Partnering with the Academy to bring this celebration of art and entertainment to viewers all over the world will inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars' storied legacy," Mohan added, as quoted by Variety.
According to the outlet, the Academy had been seeking a new broadcast licensing agreement for much of 2025. Over the summer, several expected and unconventional buyers, including NBCUniversal and Netflix, had entered the fray as potential suitors.
Insiders believe YouTube shelled out more than nine figures for the Oscars, besting high eight-figure offers from Disney/ABC and NBCUniversal, Variety reported.
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