From Broadcast to Bitrate: YouTube to Become the Exclusive Global Hub for the Oscars
The collaboration aims to transform the Oscars from a single-night broadcast into a “true hub for film fans” by utilizing YouTube’s interactive capabilities.
RMN Digital Entertainment Desk
New Delhi | December 20, 2025
In a massive shift toward digital-first distribution, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has signed a multi-year exclusive partnership with YouTube, set to begin in 2029. This landmark deal, which runs through 2033, marks a significant technological pivot for the 101st Oscars and beyond, moving the world’s premier film event from traditional broadcast networks to a global streaming platform.
Scaling for a Global Audience: The core of this partnership is the leverage of YouTube’s massive technical infrastructure to reach over 2 billion viewers worldwide. Unlike traditional television broadcasts limited by regional licensing, the Oscars will be available live and for free on a global scale, while U.S. viewers can also access the ceremony via YouTube TV. To ensure high-quality accessibility for this diverse audience, YouTube plans to implement advanced features, including closed captioning and audio tracks in multiple languages.
Innovative Digital Engagement and Digitization: The collaboration aims to transform the Oscars from a single-night broadcast into a “true hub for film fans” by utilizing YouTube’s interactive capabilities. Academy leadership noted that the move will provide “innovative opportunities for engagement” while providing unprecedented access to film history.
[ Also Read: Academy and Oscars News and Views ]
[ Also Read: Excessive Ads Going to Ring the Death Knell for YouTube: RMN Research ]
[ Why Most YouTube Video Makers Struggle to Earn Money: Inside the Platform’s Monetization Woes ]
Beyond the live ceremony, the deal includes a massive digitization project involving the Google Arts & Culture initiative. This technical effort will:
- Provide digital access to select Academy Museum exhibitions.
- Digitize portions of the Academy Collection, the largest film-related archive in the world, containing over 52 million items.
- Host year-round digital content, including the Governors Awards, the Scientific and Technical Awards, and film education programs.
The End of the Legacy Broadcast Era: This transition marks the end of a long-standing era of television exclusivity. The Academy’s current domestic and international partnerships with Disney ABC and Buena Vista International will conclude after the 100th Oscars in 2028. By shifting to YouTube, the Academy is prioritizing a platform that CEO Neal Mohan describes as an essential cultural institution for a new generation of creative film lovers.
The move to a digital-exclusive platform is much like upgrading from a single local library to a 24/7 global digital archive; it replaces the physical and geographical limitations of traditional media with an instantly accessible, interconnected network of history and live performance.
