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New Delhi: The Oscars may soon have a new stage. For decades, Hollywood’s biggest awards night has been broadcast on ABC, with Disney holding the rights since the late 1970s. Now, YouTube has stepped into the race, expressing interest in acquiring future rights to the Academy Awards.
According to Bloomberg, the Google-owned platform has approached the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences about a potential deal. This move highlights YouTube’s growing ambition to expand beyond viral videos and creator content into premium live programming.
YouTube’s interest comes at a time when several companies are competing for the Oscars broadcast. Comcast’s NBCUniversal, Paramount’s CBS, Amazon, and Netflix are also believed to be in the mix. The Academy is still in the middle of negotiations, and ABC’s existing deal runs until 2028.
For YouTube, hosting the Oscars would be a symbolic win. The platform, once dismissed in Hollywood as a hub for pirated clips, has transformed into the most-watched video service worldwide. It has already acquired rights to NFL Sunday Ticket and has tested its reach with live shows and sports streaming. Earlier this week, YouTube highlighted the massive audience for the New Heights podcast, boosted by Taylor Swift’s popularity.
The Oscars have been struggling with declining viewership over the past decade. Bringing the show to YouTube could help capture younger audiences who prefer streaming platforms to cable television. The platform’s global reach could also expand the awards beyond the traditional American audience, giving it renewed relevance.
But the competition remains strong. NBCUniversal and CBS can offer both a broadcast network and a streaming service. Amazon and Netflix have invested heavily in original films and live programming, making them credible contenders. YouTube, in contrast, is betting on scale and its unmatched global footprint.
Replacing Disney’s ABC with YouTube would be a seismic shift for the Oscars. It would also signal how traditional television is losing ground to tech giants in the race for live entertainment rights. As negotiations continue, the fight for Hollywood’s most prestigious night is no longer just between TV networks. Streaming platforms are here, and they want the spotlight.
