Google seeks to stream the Oscars on YouTube
According to CinemaDrame News Agency, Google has expressed interest in streaming the Academy Awards ceremony. Bloomberg reports that the tech giant has made a proposal to Hollywood for broadcasting the Oscars.
The ceremony has long aired on the ABC network, but in recent years viewership has dropped sharply as audiences shift toward streaming platforms. Netflix and other rivals have sought to attract traditional TV audiences by purchasing rights to live events, including the Women’s World Cup.
Two sources close to Google told Bloomberg that the company is pursuing rights to broadcast the Oscars. YouTube is no longer just a platform for educational videos or music streaming, as it was in its early years. Increasingly, celebrities are hosting their hit podcasts there. Just last week, Taylor Swift unveiled her new album during an appearance on her boyfriend Travis Kelce’s podcast, breaking YouTube’s record for live viewership.
ABC currently holds a contract with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) through 2028. Therefore, if an agreement is reached, the Oscars would stream on YouTube starting in 2029. Academy CEO Bill Kramer described ABC as “a very good partner” and said the new contract for the Oscars would be “highly beneficial.”
In February, The Verge reported that YouTube usage on smart TVs had, for the first time, surpassed mobile phones, with over one billion hours of content watched daily on smart TVs alone.
Viewership for the 2025 Oscars dropped 7% compared to the previous year.
