There are many contenders vying for victory within the class of “finest firm to host the Oscars,” however no winner has been declared as but. YouTube, specifically, has demonstrated a want to diversify and increase into reside occasions and, in keeping with a brand new report, the Google-owned video-sharing platform is eager to turn into the brand new residence of Hollywood’s largest evening — however it faces some robust competitors, not least of which incorporates from ABC, the place the celebrated Academy Awards have been held for the previous 48 years (and counting).
ABC’s present contract deal isn’t attributable to expire till 2028, which suggests the community will proceed to host the star-studded present for the foreseeable future, however the Academy of Movement Image Arts and Sciences is at present “in the midst of negotiations” with a number of events to find out the place the awards ceremony will land subsequent, per Bloomberg. YouTube has reportedly inquired about shopping for the rights to the Oscars in a transfer that may virtually definitely appeal to consideration and doubtlessly convey extra viewers to the platform.
Netflix and Amazon are additionally stated to be amongst these seeking to swipe the extremely coveted occasion for his or her streaming companies, along with conventional networks similar to Comcast’s NBCUniversal and Paramount’s CBS, with a few of these bidders in a doubtlessly extra favorable place as they can provide each a broadcast community and a streaming service. Moreover, the report notes that “at the very least three of the bidders personal main film studios that prioritize theaters,” which may maybe give them an edge over their opponents.
2025 Oscars Hailed because the Greatest in Years
The Oscars have skilled a gradual decline in viewership through the years, however the 2025 version was hailed as the most effective in latest reminiscence, placing Hollywood’s largest evening again in lights. Viewers counseled the general manufacturing of the present, the celebrities on presenting duties, and the efficiency of Conan O’Brien, who was chargeable for internet hosting the present and drew massive laughs all through the evening after hitting the bottom working with a gap monologue that poked enjoyable on the controversy surrounding Netflix’s Emilia Pérez.
The suggestions was obtained loud and clear, prompting the Academy of Movement Image Arts and Sciences to swiftly invite O’Brien again for an additional yr. The 98th Academy Awards present can be hosted out of the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California, on Mar. 15, 2026, so the high-profile comic has loads of time to organize some jokes for his sophomore flip. Academy CEO Invoice Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang launched a joint assertion on the time, saying they had been “thrilled” about him returning to the Oscars, together with present producers Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeney and government producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan. It learn:
“We’re thrilled to convey again Conan, Raj, Katy, Jeff and Mike for the 98th Oscars. This yr, they produced a massively entertaining and visually beautiful present that celebrated our nominees and the worldwide movie group in probably the most lovely and impactful method. Conan was the proper host — skillfully guiding us by means of the night with humor, heat and reverence. It’s an honor to be working with them once more.”
Final yr’s Academy Awards had been televised on ABC in the US, and it was additionally obtainable to reside stream on Hulu for the primary time, making the ceremony extra accessible than ever, which can have boosted its viewership. In spite of everything, it scored its largest viewers in half a decade, with over 19 million viewers tuning in to see Hollywood’s elite gather their golden statuettes. 2026’s Oscars (and past) will little question comply with go well with, with the ABC broadcast being supported by further streaming on Hulu — however 2029 may usher in a brand new period.
The Oscars
- Launch Date
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March 19, 1953
- Community
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ABC, NBC
- Administrators
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Glenn Weiss, Alan Handley, George Seaton, Hamish Hamilton, Roger Goodman, Max Miller, Trevor Newman
- Writers
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Buz Kohan, Dave Boone, David Steinberg, Ed Driscoll, Hal Kanter, Jeff Cesario, Marc Shaiman, Jon Macks, Carol Leifer, Bruce Vilanch, Robert Wuhl, Dan Harmon, Phil Alden Robinson, Billy Crystal, Amberia Allen, John Hoffman, Mason Steinberg, Colleen Werthmann, Joelle Boucai, Greg Martin, Agathe Panaretos, Blaire Erskine, Louis Virtel, Jordan Rubin