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Manila Bulletin devider Opinion devider A deal made in heaven

A deal made in heaven

Published Jan 23, 2026 12:05 am  |  Updated Jan 22, 2026 06:19 pm
EDITORS DESK
As you read this, the nominees for the 98th Oscar Awards have already been revealed. How do you feel about this year's selections?
However, I'm most excited about the Academy Awards leaving the ABC Network and streaming on YouTube in 2029, as announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Dec. 17, 2025.
That’s still three years away, but what a fantastic decision! It feels like a perfect match between the Oscars and YouTube. I’m looking forward to watching the Oscars on my phone, laptop, or tablet.
I recall when the previous Oscar editions aired live on Philippine television via satellite in the mornings. Since I was usually at school or work, I couldn’t immediately find out who had won in various categories. I had to wait for the evening news to learn about the winners. Back then, watching the Academy Awards felt like a luxury.
With the Oscars moving to YouTube, it will be easy to check in on the show’s progress from anywhere.
The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. On a positive note, the Oscars will be available to stream for free worldwide on YouTube.
The 2028 Oscars broadcast will mark the 100th edition. Beginning in 2029, YouTube will hold global streaming rights to the Oscars through 2033. The platform will become the hub for all Oscar-related events, like red-carpet coverage, the Governors Awards, and the nominations announcement, according to the Associated Press.
“We are thrilled to enter into a multifaceted global partnership with YouTube to be the future home of the Oscars and our year-round Academy programming,” said Academy chief executive Bill Kramer and Academy president Lynette Howell Taylor. “The Academy is an international organization, and this partnership will allow us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible — which will be beneficial for our Academy members and the film community.”
Although many major award shows have added streaming options, the Oscars' YouTube partnership is the first among the 'big four'—the Oscars, Grammys, Emmys, and Tonys—to fully move away from broadcast TV. This shift puts one of the most-watched non-NFL broadcasts into Google’s ecosystem. YouTube has about two billion viewers.
“The Oscars are one of our essential cultural institutions, honoring excellence in storytelling and artistry,” said Neal Mohan, chief executive of YouTube. “Partnering with the academy to bring this celebration of art and entertainment to viewers all over the world will inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars’ storied legacy.”
ABC, owned by The Walt Disney Company, has been the primary broadcaster of the Oscars for most of its history. NBC first aired the Oscars in 1953, but ABC took over the rights in 1961. Except for a stretch from 1971 to 1975 when NBC aired the show again, the Oscars have remained on ABC.
“ABC has been the proud home to The Oscars for more than half a century,” the network said in a statement. “We look forward to the next three telecasts, including the show’s centennial celebration in 2028, and wish the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences continued success.”
The 2025 Academy Awards drew 19.7 million viewers on ABC, a modest increase from the previous year. While this remains one of the largest TV broadcasts of the year, it is less than half the Oscars’ peak viewership. In 1999, over 55 million people tuned in to watch James Cameron’s "Titanic" win Best Picture.
By choosing YouTube over contenders like Netflix or NBCUniversal/Peacock, the film academy opted for a platform with a vast audience, though with less traditional production infrastructure.
Even so, more people — particularly younger audiences — watch YouTube than any other streaming platform. According to Nielsen, YouTube accounted for 12.9 percent of all television and streaming content viewed in November, with Netflix second at 8.3 percent.
(Robert R. Requintina is the editor of Manila Bulletin’s Entertainment section)
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