Oscars to stream free on YouTube worldwide from 2029

The Oscars are heading to YouTube. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has signed a multi-year deal granting YouTube exclusive global streaming rights to the awards ceremony starting in 2029, with the agreement running through 2033.

The move kicks in with the 101st Academy Awards. ABC, which has broadcast the Oscars for decades, will continue to air the show through 2028.

Under the new deal, the Oscars will stream live and free on YouTube worldwide. The package also includes red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes content and the Governors Ball. In the US, the show will also be available to YouTube TV subscribers. Advertising will remain part of the telecast.

The Academy and YouTube say the shift is aimed at widening access for a global audience. Plans include closed captioning and multiple-language audio tracks to make the broadcast more inclusive.

Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said the partnership positions YouTube as the future home of the Oscars and year-round Academy programming, while helping the organisation reach its growing international audience. Kramer added that the deal will allow the Academy to celebrate cinema and share its film history on a much larger global scale.

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan called the Oscars a key cultural institution and said the partnership will introduce the ceremony to new generations of creators and film fans while respecting its long-standing legacy.

According to reports, the Academy had been shopping for a new broadcast partner for much of 2025. Traditional players and newer platforms, including NBCUniversal and Netflix, were in discussions. Insiders believe YouTube secured the deal with a payout exceeding nine figures, outbidding high eight-figure offers from Disney-owned ABC and NBCUniversal.