Academy Awards: YouTube to stream the Oscars worldwide online from 2029
The Oscar ceremony is one of the most important cultural institutions in the USA. From the 101st edition onwards, it will be broadcast worldwide on YouTube.
(Image: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)
The globally anticipated Oscar awards ceremony will be streamed on YouTube from 2029, moving away from its long-time US broadcaster ABC. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, responsible for the film awards, announced this recently, adding that the contract is initially set for five years. The video platform will thus broadcast live not only the Academy Awards ceremony itself but also the red carpet events until at least 2033. No paid subscription will be required to watch. The organizers anticipate an audience of over two billion people. The contract also includes other events and award ceremonies, though all are significantly less important than the Oscars.
Broadcast on the Internet after the 100th Ceremony
At the Academy, there is great enthusiasm about the agreement, assures CEO Bill Kramer. The partnership with the world's largest video platform enables the organization to enormously increase its reach by directly connecting with people worldwide. YouTube, in turn, recognizes the Oscar ceremony as one of the most important cultural institutions in the United States, which it can now make accessible to viewers around the globe. ABC has been responsible for the broadcast in the US since 1976, and Disney subsidiary Buena Vista currently handles worldwide marketing. This will not change until the 100th awards ceremony in 2028.
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The Academy Awards are by far the most famous film award in the world. They honor primarily US works, actors, and actresses, as well as individuals behind the camera. For films not made in English, there is a separate category for the Oscar for Best International Feature Film – but in principle, they can also compete in other categories. The Hollywood Reporter now points out that the Oscar ceremony has drastically lost viewers in the US in recent years: while more than 40 million people in the US watched in 2014, there were only 10 million in 2021 and about twice as many last year. The Academy is likely hoping for a turnaround here.
(mho)
