YouTube has secured exclusive global streaming rights for the Academy Awards, marking a major shift in how the world’s most prestigious film ceremony will reach audiences.

According to a media statement from the organisers of Oscar, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has entered into a multi-year partnership with the platform, under which the Oscars will be streamed live and free on YouTube globally from the 101st Academy Awards in 2029 through to 2033.

Under the agreement, the Oscars ceremony will be available to more than two billion users worldwide on YouTube, while YouTube TV subscribers in the United States will also be able to watch the event live. The move signals a decisive pivot towards digital-first distribution, significantly expanding global access to the ceremony beyond traditional television broadcasts.

The partnership goes beyond the awards night itself. YouTube will host extensive Oscars-related coverage, including red carpet arrivals, behind-the-scenes moments, access to the Governors Ball, and a slate of exclusive digital content. To ensure wider reach across regions, the platform will support accessibility features such as closed captions and multiple language audio tracks.

Year-round Academy programming will also find a home on YouTube. Through the official Oscars YouTube channel, audiences will gain exclusive access to major Academy events such as the Governors Awards, Oscars nominations announcements, the Oscars Nominees Luncheon, Student Academy Awards, and the Scientific and Technical Awards. The collaboration will also feature filmmaker and Academy member interviews, educational initiatives, podcasts, and other original programming designed to engage film enthusiasts globally.

As part of the broader alliance, Google Arts & Culture will work closely with the Academy to digitise and present select exhibitions and programmes from the Academy Museum, along with elements of the Academy Collection. The collection, which comprises more than 52 million film-related items, is the largest of its kind in the world. The initiative aims to create a comprehensive digital destination for cinema history, accessible to audiences everywhere.

Commenting on the development, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said in a joint statement, “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. This collaboration will allow us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible, celebrate cinema, inspire new generations of filmmakers, and provide access to our film history on an unprecedented global scale.”

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan described the Oscars as “one of our essential cultural institutions,” adding that the partnership would help bring the celebration of film and storytelling to global audiences while preserving the legacy of the event.

The Academy clarified that its existing domestic broadcast arrangement with Disney-owned ABC will remain unchanged through the 100th Oscars in 2028. Internationally, Disney’s Buena Vista International will continue to handle distribution during this period. YouTube’s exclusive global streaming rights will come into effect from 2029.

The deal underlines YouTube’s growing ambition to position itself as a primary platform for live, large-scale global entertainment, while reflecting a broader evolution in how landmark cultural events are consumed worldwide.