Oman today_ Tech giant Google is seeking to bring the Academy Awards to audiences through YouTube. According to a report by Bloomberg, the company has officially proposed acquiring the broadcasting rights for the event to Hollywood.
Until now, the Oscars have been broadcast exclusively on ABC, whose contract with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) runs through 2028. If an agreement is reached, the first Oscar ceremony to be streamed on YouTube would take place in 2029. Bill Kramer, CEO of the Academy, expressed satisfaction with the partnership with ABC but noted that future contracts could prove more beneficial.
In recent years, television viewership of the Oscars has declined sharply, with many audiences migrating to online platforms. This shift has prompted competitors such as Netflix to invest in live events, including the Women’s World Cup, in an effort to attract traditional television viewers.
YouTube, which is no longer limited to educational videos or music, has grown into a popular hub for podcasts and live programming. A notable example was last week’s record-breaking live stream, when Taylor Swift unveiled her new album during a podcast with Travis Kelce.
According to data from The Verge, YouTube viewing on smart TVs surpassed mobile devices last year, with more than one billion hours of content watched daily on smart TVs alone. Despite this, the 2025 Oscars recorded a 7% drop in viewership compared to the previous year — a decline that may further accelerate the push toward changing the event’s broadcasting platform.
The possible beginning of Oscar broadcasts on YouTube starting in 2029
