YouTube explores bid to host Academy Awards broadcast: reports

New Delhi: YouTube has expressed interest in securing rights to broadcast the Academy Awards once the current contract with ABC expires, according to a Bloomberg report.

The Oscars have aired on ABC since 1976 under a long-running agreement with the Disney-owned network, which is in place until 2028. Prior to that, the ceremony alternated between ABC and NBC from its first televised edition in 1953. NBC, which carried the awards for much of the 1950s and 1960s, is also reported to be among the potential bidders.

Two people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that YouTube, owned by Google, has made inquiries as negotiations begin for the post-2028 broadcast rights. Messages sent to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, YouTube, and Google were not returned, according to the report.

YouTube has been building a portfolio of high-profile live programming, including the NFL Sunday Ticket and a growing roster of live sport. The Oscars would represent one of the most prestigious events in the entertainment calendar for any broadcaster or streaming platform.

Industry analysts note, however, that unlike rival bidders, YouTube does not have a traditional broadcast network. Several other interested parties also own major film studios, a factor likely to weigh heavily in negotiations given the Oscars’ focus on theatrical cinema.

The most recent edition of the Academy Awards, held on March 25, 2025, attracted an average of 19.6 million viewers across television and streaming platforms, Nielsen data showed. This represented a modest increase on 2024 and marked the highest audience for the ceremony in five years.