The Academy Awards ceremony is broadcast television and will be available on streaming in a few years.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced it will move to YouTube starting in 2029 with the 101st Oscars, Variety reported.
The exclusive deal gives YouTube the rights through 2033.
ABC has the rights to show the ceremony until 2028 or through the 100th anniversary, The Associated Press reported.
The AP called it “a seismic shift for one of television’s marquee events.”
Starting in 2029, the entire Oscars night, from the red carpet to behind-the-scenes and the Governors Ball, will be streamed live and for free globally. It will also be available to YouTube TV subscribers in the U.S., Variety reported.
The move will allow for additional features for a global audience including closed captioning and audio tracks in various 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 chief executive Bill Kramer and Academy president Lynette Howell Taylor said. “The Academy is an international organization 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.”
“The Oscars are one of our essential cultural institutions, honoring excellence in storytelling and artistry,” Neal Mohan, YouTube’s chief executive, 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.”
This is the first of the major entertainment awards that have decided to move from traditional broadcast television to streaming only, the AP said. Other shows, such as the Grammys, Emmys and Tonys, have streaming partnerships, but as of now still have a main broadcast on regular television.
The cost of the deal was not released, but Variety reported that YouTube has more viewership of clips and speeches from previous Academy Awards ceremonies than the broadcasts received when they were aired live.
Check back for more on this developing story.
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