Oscars to stream free on YouTube worldwide from 2029 as ABC run ends

New Delhi: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has signed a multi-year partnership with YouTube that will make the Oscars available live and free to viewers globally on YouTube from 2029, starting with the 101st Oscars ceremony. 

As part of the deal, YouTube will hold exclusive global rights to the Oscars from 2029 through 2033. The show will stream free worldwide on YouTube.

The Academy said its domestic partnership for the Oscars will continue with Disney’s ABC through the 100th Oscars in 2028. Its international partnership will also continue with Disney’s Buena Vista International through 2028. 

YouTube and the Academy said the partnership will include red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes content and access around the Governors Ball. The companies also said YouTube will add accessibility features such as closed captioning and audio tracks in multiple languages. 

Beyond the main ceremony, the agreement covers worldwide access to other Academy events and programming, to be available exclusively on the Oscars YouTube channel. This includes the Governors Awards, Oscars nominations announcement, Nominees Luncheon, Student Academy Awards, Scientific and Technical Awards, interviews, film education programmes and podcasts. 

The partnership also brings in Google Arts & Culture to provide digital access to select Academy Museum exhibitions and to support digitisation of parts of the Academy Collection, the Academy said. 

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan said, “Partnering with The Academy will inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars’ storied legacy.”

“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,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor. “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.”