Oscars may leave ABC after 2028, YouTube reportedly in talks to take over

The Academy Awards

The Academy Awards will no longer air on ABC. The recent reports have suggested that the Oscars are moving to YouTube.

According to a recent report by Bloomberg, a source has claimed that YouTube has inquired about buying the rights to the Oscars. The reports have suggested that the streaming platform has shown keen interest in hosting live events through its YouTube TV package, which boasts the NFL Sunday Ticket.

Previously, YouTube aired Taylor Swift’s appearance on Travis and Jason Kelce’s New Heights podcast, garnering a record-high number of live viewers.

If the reports are true, then it will be a revolutionary move as ABC has been hosting the annual award function for the last two decades. However, the award show will not move to YouTube anytime soon, at least not before 2029.

The Academy Awards will continue to air on ABC through 2028 under the network’s current deal with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The new deal would cover the rights to the ceremony starting in 2029.

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The current Oscars broadcast deal between the Academy and ABC is valued at over $100 million annually, but negotiations have stalled as the Academy seeks a higher payout, which ABC is reportedly unwilling to match.

The Oscars' future broadcast deal has been up in the air since spring, when the Academy's exclusive negotiation period with ABC ended without a new agreement. The Academy is now free to explore other networks and platforms, reportedly due to a disagreement over increasing the license fee.