The entertainment world witnesses a watershed moment as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announces exclusive partnership with YouTube for Oscar broadcasting rights beginning in 2029. This four-year global agreement marks the end of traditional network television’s decades-long relationship with Hollywood’s premier ceremony, embracing digital streaming as the future platform for delivering enhanced content to unprecedented worldwide audiences.
The comprehensive partnership delivers extensive programming throughout the entire awards season and beyond. YouTube gains exclusive rights to the main ceremony, red carpet arrivals, behind-the-scenes exclusive footage, Governors Ball access, the Governors Awards, nomination announcements, the nominees Luncheon, Student Academy Awards, extensive interviews with Academy members and filmmakers, film education content, podcasts, and supplementary programming designed to transform occasional event viewing into sustained year-round engagement with filmmaking excellence.
Academy leadership characterized this decision as crucial for fulfilling their organization’s global mission. CEO Bill Kramer and President Lynette Howell Taylor emphasized that with voting membership now comprising 21% international participants from outside the United States, digital distribution through a worldwide platform better serves their increasingly diverse constituency. This strategic thinking recognizes that organizational evolution requires distribution methods aligned with membership demographics, technological capabilities, and contemporary media consumption patterns.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan positioned the partnership as cultural stewardship meeting digital innovation. He praised the Academy Awards as an essential cultural institution while committing to inspire future creative generations through enhanced digital experiences. This vision balances respect for the Oscars’ storied heritage with recognition that technological evolution provides opportunities for improved accessibility, engagement, and inspiration for audiences worldwide as the ceremony approaches its centennial anniversary.
The announcement reflects ongoing entertainment industry transformation toward streaming dominance over traditional broadcasting. YouTube achieved record viewership shares in America throughout the current year, consistently outperforming traditional television networks. The platform’s successful September live NFL broadcast attracted over 17 million viewers, validating sophisticated production capabilities for major live events. The competitive bidding process included Netflix, NBCUniversal, and Disney, which previously paid approximately $100 million annually for rights. Disney’s ABC network will broadcast three final ceremonies through 2028, including the centennial celebration, before this historic transition to digital platforms.
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