YouTube is considering a bid to acquire rights to the Academy Awards, positioning itself as a potential host and streaming partner for Hollywood’s most prominent awards ceremony once the current broadcast agreement with ABC concludes in 2028.
The Oscars have been broadcast on ABC since 1976 under a long-term deal with Disney, which was extended through 2028.
Before that, the show alternated between NBC and ABC dating back to its television debut in 1953.
According to a Bloomberg report, YouTube has inquired about the possibility of becoming the next home for the Oscars as part of its broader push into live event programming.
The platform has already secured rights to NFL Sunday Ticket and other sports content, and executives have signaled interest in expanding into major cultural events.
Other companies are also expected to compete for the rights, including Netflix, Apple, Amazon, and NBCUniversal.
The potential move comes amid shifting viewing habits and declining traditional TV ratings for the awards show. The 97th Academy Awards in March 2025 averaged 19.6 million viewers across broadcast and streaming, according to Nielsen, marking the highest numbers in five years but still far below historical peaks.
Neither the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nor YouTube have commented on the report.