As streaming video platforms have completely changed viewers' viewing habits, Hollywood's most iconic awards ceremony—the Academy Awards—has finally decided to embrace the digital wave.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), which hosts the Oscars, earlierAnnounceThe Academy Awards will enter into a multi-faceted global partnership agreement with Google's YouTube video platform. Starting in 2029, the Academy Awards ceremony will be exclusively streamed on YouTube, marking the end of the decades-long broadcasting partnership with ABC (American Broadcasting Company), a Disney subsidiary.
He celebrated his 100th birthday on television and ascended to heaven at 101.
However, viewers won't immediately find themselves unable to watch the Oscars on television.
Under the agreement, ABC will retain the broadcasting rights until 2028. This is of special historical significance because 2028 marks the 100th Academy Awards, allowing the traditional broadcaster to fully participate in the first century of the Oscars before officially handing over the reins to YouTube at the 101st Academy Awards.
Not just the awards ceremony, but also several collections
This collaboration extends beyond the live broadcast of the awards ceremony. The future official Oscars YouTube channel will become a "platform" for all Academy-related content, including:
• Honorary Academy Awards (Governors Awards)
• Nomination announcement ceremony
• Luncheon for Finalists
• Student Oscars
• Science and Technology Award
In addition, the Google Arts & Culture program will also join the collaboration to help digitize the Academy's rich collection of film artifacts, allowing film fans around the world to browse these precious film history assets online.
Targeting a global audience, breaking free from the curse of declining ratings.
Regarding this change, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO Bill Kramer and Chair Lynette Howell Taylor stated, "We are excited to establish a global partnership with YouTube. As an international organization, this collaboration will allow us to reach the widest audience in the world."
Indeed, it's an undeniable fact that traditional award ceremonies have seen declining television viewership year after year. Even the Oscars face the problem of losing younger viewers. Switching to YouTube not only solves the licensing and time zone issues of cross-border broadcasting (eliminating the need for individual broadcasts by television stations in different countries), but also attracts more young viewers through YouTube's social media interactivity.
Analysis and Viewpoint: The Live Streaming War Enters a New Chapter
In my opinion, the Oscars' move to YouTube marks the final piece of the puzzle in the complete shift of "Live Events" from traditional television to streaming platforms.
Previously, Netflix had already secured the broadcasting rights to the Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG); Amazon and Apple have been aggressively expanding their presence in live sports broadcasting. For events like the Oscars, which are highly prestigious and have high viewership thresholds, YouTube's free, global reach, and ease of sharing may be the best solution to salvage viewership.
This is even better news for Taiwanese viewers. In the future, they may no longer need to tune into specific TV channels or pay-per-view platforms, or even worry about the Chinese interpretation from broadcasters drowning out the original audio; they can simply open YouTube and participate in this cinematic extravaganza in real time. As for whether YouTube will be crammed with too many ads, that's another topic altogether.
