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The Oscars ceremony will commence broadcasting solely on the global video platform in the year 2029, marking the most recent substantial change in Hollywood.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed the news on this week, confirming that it entered into a multi-year deal granting the streaming service the exclusive global rights to the Oscars up to 2033.

The awards show, which is planned for 15 March, has been televised for a half a century on the traditional network. Commencing in 2029, the event will be viewable as a free live stream on YouTube.

It's a further substantial upheaval in Hollywood, which is navigating studio sales and mergers, coupled with severe production cuts.

"The Academy is an international organization, and this partnership will enable us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the most extensive international crowd attainable - which will be advantageous for our membership and the cinematic world," remarked organization heads in a statement.

Over decades, audience numbers of the ceremony have dropped, though there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a considerable amount of younger viewers streaming from mobile devices and computers.

In a separate statement, the head of YouTube described the Oscars "one of our vital pillars of culture" and said that working with the Academy would "inspire a new generation of innovation and movie fans while adhering to the Oscars' illustrious legacy".

The broadcast network, which has streamed the ceremony since 1976, commented that it was looking forward "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will still host.

The move comes as film industry giants deal with intricate takeover attempts. Both options were viewed as unfavourable for an sector that has experienced drastic cuts over the last few years.

In common with major studios, cable networks have faced issues as the audience has increasingly opted for streaming services as an alternative.

YouTube winning rights to the Academy Awards clearly signals that reliance on online services will persist increasing.