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The Academy Awards may be heading to YouTube- a twist no one saw coming. Reports suggest that Google's video streaming platform has expressed interest in acquiring the rights to Hollywood's most celebrated night —the Oscars. Bloomberg reported that YouTube has inquired about the buying rights of the Academy Awards.
If the deal finalizes, the red carpet won't just roll for television-it could be live for billions of viewers across the globe on a much popular platform. For decades, ABC has aired the Academy Awards; however, the viewership has slipped in recent years, mostly due to unavailability or the younger audience finding it harder to connect. A shift to YouTube, a global platform, would mark a seismic change, putting the industry's most prestigious show on the world's most-watched digital platform.
This isn't YouTube's first swing at big-ticket live entertainment. It already holds the NFL Sunday Ticket rights. In 2022, the NFL announced a multi-year agreement with YouTube Primetime Channels and YouTube TV for the distributing rights of the NFL Sunday Ticket to provide better access.
Will the Academy Awards stream on YouTube in 2026?
It is highly unlikely that the Academy Awards will stream on YouTube in 2026 or the immediate future. Firstly, YouTube has just inquired about the streaming rights and has yet to finalize a deal. Secondly, ABC holds the broadcast rights till 2028, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is still deep in negotiations.
Apart from that, streaming giants such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, and legacy bidders like NBC and CBS might also offer deals for securing the rights to broadcast the Oscars.
YouTube's entry in the race to acquire the broadcast rights is quite significant, though. Once dismissed by Hollywood as a piracy hub, the platform is now the most powerful video streamer. Hosting the Oscars would not only widen the audience but also establish YouTube's entry into mainstream Hollywood live events.
Unlike television, YouTube could make the Academy Awards more interactive with live chats, creator tie-ins, and turn the Oscars into a massive online event. However, there are quite a few challenges, and Hollywood may not be ready for the shift yet. Nonetheless, the Academy should consider the financial upside of the YouTube deal against the prestige and tradition of broadcast television for once.
Ten years ago, the idea of YouTube hosting the Oscars would have been laughed at. Now the tables have turned. With the evolution of OTT platforms, Hollywood has to acknowledge that the viewers want flexibility, speed, and reach, which is a bit difficult with traditional broadcasting.
With YouTube knocking on the door, the Academy faces a choice - cling to tradition or embrace the future.
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