🏆 YouTube to Get the Oscars

The agreement runs through 2033. ABC, which has aired the Oscars for decades, will retain the rights only for the next three ceremonies, including the landmark 100th Academy Awards in 2028.

The ceremony, red carpet, and backstage coverage will be streamed free worldwide, with subtitles and audio tracks in multiple languages.

Streaming removes the rigid time constraints of linear TV. Insiders joke: “Now we could be in for a six-hour marathon with MrBeast as host.”

The deal is reportedly worth more than $100 million per year, exceeding bids from Disney and NBCUniversal.

The move to YouTube signals the decline of linear TV ratings. While 57 million people watched Titanic win big in 1998, recent ceremonies have struggled to surpass 18 million viewers. The Academy is betting on a platform where the attention of younger and global audiences is already concentrated.