Digital streaming achieves another landmark victory as YouTube secures exclusive worldwide rights to the Academy Awards through a comprehensive four-year partnership beginning in 2029, fundamentally reshaping entertainment broadcasting. This groundbreaking agreement relocates Hollywood’s most prestigious ceremony from traditional network television to digital platforms with unprecedented global accessibility, enhanced content delivery, and extensive year-round programming designed to revolutionize audience engagement with filmmaking excellence.
The multifaceted partnership delivers programming far exceeding standard ceremony coverage, encompassing comprehensive Academy-related content throughout the calendar year. YouTube will provide complete red carpet arrivals, exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, Governors Ball access, the Governors Awards ceremony, nomination announcements, the nominees Luncheon, Student Academy Awards recognition, in-depth Academy member interviews, filmmaker conversations, film education programming, podcasts, and supplementary content designed to maintain sustained audience engagement with cinematic excellence and Academy initiatives.
The Academy’s leadership enthusiastically embraced this partnership as strategic alignment with their organization’s international evolution and global mission. Bill Kramer and Lynette Howell Taylor emphasized that with 21% of voting members now residing outside the United States, worldwide digital distribution addresses their global constituency more effectively than traditional American network broadcasting. They characterized this arrangement as beneficial for Academy members and the broader filmmaking community, advancing organizational goals while ensuring unprecedented accessibility for audiences worldwide.
Neal Mohan, serving as YouTube CEO, expressed enthusiasm about stewarding one of entertainment’s most distinguished institutions into the digital age. He committed to honoring the Oscars’ storied legacy while inspiring future creative generations through innovative digital experiences and enhanced accessibility. This vision positions YouTube not merely as broadcaster but as cultural custodian responsible for maintaining and enhancing the ceremony’s significance while leveraging technological capabilities to improve engagement for current audiences and emerging filmmakers worldwide.
The entertainment landscape continues its seismic shift toward streaming dominance, providing crucial context for this announcement. YouTube maintained its position as America’s most-watched streaming platform throughout the current year, achieving record viewership shares while traditional networks struggle competitively. The platform successfully expanded into live sports broadcasting with September’s NFL game attracting over 17 million viewers, demonstrating sophisticated capabilities. Multiple media giants including Netflix, NBCUniversal, and Disney competed for these rights, with Disney previously paying approximately $100 million annually. Disney’s ABC network will broadcast three final ceremonies through 2028 before the historic transition.