Academy Awards Signs Exclusive Four-Year YouTube Partnership

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 definitive transition from traditional network television to digital streaming for Hollywood’s premier ceremony, reflecting fundamental shifts in media consumption patterns and promising unprecedented worldwide accessibility with enhanced content delivery and comprehensive year-round programming.
Beyond the main ceremony broadcast, this comprehensive partnership encompasses extensive Academy-related programming and initiatives throughout the awards season and beyond. YouTube gains exclusive rights to red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes exclusive footage, Governors Ball access, the Governors Awards ceremony, 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 expressed enthusiasm about enhanced global reach and accessibility through this digital partnership with YouTube. Bill Kramer and Lynette Howell Taylor emphasized their organization’s international character, noting that 21% of voting members now reside outside the United States. They characterized worldwide digital distribution as beneficial for Academy membership and the broader filmmaking community, advancing organizational mission while ensuring unprecedented accessibility for audiences worldwide passionate about celebrating creative achievement and cinematic excellence.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan welcomed responsibility for stewarding the Oscars into the digital age with balanced commitment to honoring tradition while embracing innovation. He praised the Academy Awards as an essential cultural institution while promising to inspire emerging generations through enhanced digital experiences and improved global accessibility. This vision recognizes that successful stewardship of cultural institutions requires respecting established traditions while embracing technological advancement that enhances accessibility and engagement for evolving audience demographics.
The announcement reflects entertainment industry’s ongoing dramatic transformation toward streaming dominance over traditional broadcasting methods. YouTube achieved record viewership shares in America throughout the current year, consistently outperforming traditional television networks in key metrics. The platform successfully expanded into live sports broadcasting with September’s NFL game attracting over 17 million viewers. The competitive bidding 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, concluding a relationship spanning over fifty years and including the upcoming centennial celebration.