The Hollywood Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has signed an agreement that, beyond the specific broadcast of its awards gala, marks a turning point in the entertainment industry: from 2029YouTube will broadcast the oscars exclusively and free for everyone. The story underlying this movement is not so much the demise of cable television (a phenomenon that in Spain we perceive from a certain distance) but the confirmation of a fundamental change: if the content is not available in a simple and instantaneous way, it does not exist for the majority.
The deal. YouTube will obtain exclusive worldwide broadcasting rights from the 101st edition of the awards, scheduled for 2029. The deal extends until 2033 and the transmission will be free worldwide, including the main ceremony, the red carpet and exclusive material from the backstage and the Governors Ball. Until now, Disney paid $100 million each year for broadcast rights on ABC, a very tight economic dealsince this year, for example, it only earned 127 million from advertising during the broadcast. Little thing compared to YouTubewhich recorded advertising revenue of $36 billion in 2024.
Worse and worse audiences. The break between ABC and the Academy comes from progressive worsening of audience data. The 2019 ceremony brought together 29.6 million viewers; In 2020, the figure dropped to 23.6. But the real collapse came with the 2021 edition in the middle of the pandemic, which sank to 10.4 million viewers. In 2025 there were signs of recovery with 19.69 million viewers, the highest audience in five years, thanks to simultaneous streaming on Hulu and the return of Conan O’Brien as host.
Possible solutions. To improve the numbers (and the friction between ABC and the Academy) the network proposed changes inspired by the Grammys: moving technical categories out of the main broadcast, prioritizing musical performances and reducing the total duration. The Academy resisted, but in 2018 announced the creation of a category of Outstanding Achievement in Popular Filman idea so bad that it was canceled just 29 days later. Instead of actually cutting the Academy added two new categories (casting in 2025 and stunt coordination in 2028).
It was seen coming. In fact, the jump to YouTube is the inevitable step that certifies the agony of cable. In fact, this is demonstrated by the Academy’s own decision to incorporate streaming simultaneous on Hulu this very 2025, despite a good number of technological difficulties. YouTube is the inevitable next stop: instant distribution, unrestricted global reach, and free (or, at most, dependent on a single subscription to the platform’s premium option). Taking into account the traditional difficulties in watching the ceremony, YouTube’s proposal has a certain radicality: from anywhere you can watch the ceremony without downloading applications or bypassing blocks.
The lace There is one more detail that certifies that the grudges come from afar. In May 2024, YouTube hired Justin Connolly, a veteran who had spent a quarter of a century at Disney, to oversee the platform’s media and sports operations. The signing triggered a legal battle: Disney filed a lawsuit trying to block Connolly’s incorporation, in a dispute that was resolved through an out-of-court settlement. A former Disney executive, speaking to The Wrap, stressed: “Do not underestimate the importance of the hatred and resentment between Justin Connolly and Bob Iger. The dispute continues.” And we just saw the last blow.
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