United States of America

YouTube Wins Exclusive Oscars Rights Starting in 2029

Does this democratize cinema, or betray the film industry's artistic legacy?

Published DEC 17 2025

YouTube Wins Exclusive Oscars Rights Starting in 2029

Story

Above: Oscars statues are displayed on the red carpet in anticipation of the 97th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, on March 2, 2025. Image credit: Frederic J. Brown/Contributor/AFP/Getty Images

The Facts

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Wednesday that YouTube will hold exclusive global rights to the Oscars beginning with the 101st ceremony in 2029 through 2033, while ABC will continue broadcasting the awards through 2028.
Billboard
FOX News
Oscars
The Oscars will be available live and free to over 2 billion viewers worldwide on YouTube and to YouTube TV subscribers in the United States, with features including closed captioning and audio tracks in multiple languages.
The Hollywood Reporter
Forbes
BBC News
New York Post
ABC has been the broadcast home to the Oscars since 1976, with NBC first televising the ceremony in 1953 and ABC picking up the rights in 1961, aside from a period between 1971 and 1975 when NBC aired the show.
The Associated Press
Scripps News
The Wall Street Journal
The YouTube deal marks the first of the big four awards shows, including the Oscars, Grammys, Emmys and Tonys, to completely depart broadcast television, putting one of the most watched non-NFL broadcasts in the hands of Google.
CNN
Daily Mail
The Oscars ceremony generated $150 million in revenue for the Academy during the fiscal year ending June 30, with the vast majority coming via the television rights deal with Disney, according to reports on the newly announced partnership.
The Hollywood Reporter
Daily Mail
The 2025 Academy Awards were watched by 19.7 million viewers on ABC, representing a slight increase from the previous year but still a fraction of the 55 million viewers who tuned in for the 1998 ceremony when Titanic won 11 trophies.
NBC
Business Insider

Sources Split

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The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

Moving the Oscars to YouTube democratizes access to cinema's biggest night, allowing over 2 billion global viewers to watch the ceremony for free instead of restricting it to cable subscribers. This partnership not only expands opportunities for filmmakers worldwide but also preserves the Academy's legacy by providing unprecedented digital access to film history and education. YouTube's extensive reach will inspire new generations of creators and celebrate cinema on a truly global scale.

Oscars

Establishment-critical narrative

Handing the Oscars to YouTube represents a significant surrender to a platform that has been undermining traditional filmmaking for years. This deal abandons the prestige of broadcast television in favor of a service focused on amateur content, fundamentally betraying the theatrical releases and cinematic artistry that the Academy claims to celebrate. YouTube's dominance already poses a threat to professional storytelling, and now the industry is literally shaking hands with its executioner.

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