The news: The Academy Awards will end its nearly 50-year run on ABC and move exclusively to YouTube in 2029, The New York Times reports, ending the event’s search for a new streaming partner—something we covered during early speculation about the deal.

The deal also gives the Academy year-round programming opportunities across red carpets, behind-the-scenes content, and sponsorship formats that would be far more limited in a traditional broadcast environment.

ABC’s impasse: Disney’s ABC resisted higher fees as ratings eroded, even though the Oscars still draw the highest ad spend among entertainment live events, per Guideline data cited by the Times. The network and the Academy clashed over changes meant to shorten the telecast—moves that met internal backlash over cutting award categories. As awards shows migrate to streamers—the SAG Awards shifted to Netflix in 2024—ABC is now left betting on securing the Grammys when its contract with CBS opens in 2027.

The Academy relies on the telecast for roughly 60% of its annual revenues. After years of rating declines and disputes over modernization, the Academy opted for a partner that could deliver reach, flexibility, and global distribution in ways linear TV no longer can.

Why it matters: The deal is a five-year pact that captures how decisively viewing habits have shifted toward internet-delivered television.

• YouTube now commands the largest share of US TV viewing time at 13%, surpassing Netflix’s 8%, per Nielsen—a milestone that strengthens confidence that a digital-first platform can sustain one of Hollywood’s most valuable cultural products.
• For YouTube, the Oscars deal marks another step into premium live programming. The platform’s NFL Sunday Ticket package and its Week 1 NFL game, which pulled more than 18 million viewers, show how quickly it is expanding beyond creator video into mainstream live events.
• The Oscars’ migration highlights the broader crisis facing broadcast TV: Even its most iconic tentpoles are moving to platforms where audience behavior is already concentrated.

Why it matters to marketers: YouTube is the new TV.

• YouTube’s strength lies in its unusual breadth, carrying every category of content without the programming constraints that force networks and streaming services to choose a lane. That universality has made YouTube the closest thing the industry has to “default television”—one that even the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences now deems its home.
• The shift also reinforces a point even YouTube’s competitors acknowledge. During its bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix has repeatedly argued that YouTube—not Netflix—is now the largest player in premium video.
• It’s no wonder that cord-cutters are on the rise; they will eclipse 50% of US households in 2027, and losing key events like the Oscars will only hasten linear TV's demise.