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The Oscars ceremony are set to start broadcasting solely on YouTube in 2029, marking the most recent major change in Hollywood.

The organization behind the Oscars declared the decision on this week, stating that it signed a long-term agreement giving YouTube the unique international license to the Oscars until 2033.

The awards show, scheduled for 15 March, has been televised for 50 years on ABC. Commencing in 2029, the show will be available live and for free on YouTube.

It's one more substantial shakeup in the entertainment world, which is dealing with company buyouts and fusions, along with severe production cuts.

"The Academy is an international organization, and this partnership will enable us to increase availability to the work of the Academy to the biggest global viewership possible - which will be beneficial for our film artists and the cinematic world," stated Academy leadership in a statement.

For many years, ratings of the awards show have dropped, even if there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a notable portion of youthful audiences watching from mobile devices and laptops.

In a corresponding announcement, YouTube's CEO called the Oscars "a key essential cultural touchstones" and noted that partnering with the Academy would "spark a younger cohort of innovation and movie fans while adhering to the Oscars' celebrated legacy".

The broadcast network, which has aired the awards since the mid-1970s, stated that it was excited "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will retain rights for.

The move follows large entertainment companies deal with challenging merger discussions. Both options were seen as unfavourable for an business that has witnessed drastic cuts over the last few years.

Like major studios, traditional TV channels have struggled as the audience has chosen on-demand video instead.

YouTube obtaining broadcasting rights to the Oscars clearly signals that reliance on streaming sites will carry on expanding.