And the Oscars go to… YouTube.
Today, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and YouTube signed a multi-year deal that gives the streamer exclusive global rights to the Oscars, with the agreement running from 2029 to 2033. The deal begins with the 101st Oscars.
With the news, the Oscars, including red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes content, Governors Ball access, and more, will be available for free to viewers around the world on YouTube and to YouTubeTV subscribers in the U.S.
Among the features, YouTube will bring closed captioning and audio in multiple languages. The partnership also includes access to Academy events on the Oscars YouTube channel.
“We are thrilled to enter into a multifaceted global partnership with YouTube to be the future home of the Oscars and our year-round Academy programming,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said in a statement.
Ahead of the deal’s start, the Oscars will continue to air on Disney’s platforms through 2028, as will the international partnership for the Oscars with Disney’s Buena Vista International.
In its first year of livestreaming on Hulu while also airing on Disney’s ABC, the Oscars scored 19.7 million viewers. The livestream also experienced several glitches throughout the ceremony.
