Tuesday, February 24, 2026

The Oscars Dumped Disney-ABC for a Bigger Audience with YouTube in 2029, But Now Disney is Gaining on YouTube for Reach

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As you may know, the Oscars are moving networks.

Starting in 2029, The Academy Awards will air on YouTube and not on ABC, where they’ve been for as long as anyone can remember.

YouTube dangled more money in front of the Motion Picture Academy. And reach. Their calling card right now is that they can supply a bigger audience via streaming.

But now The Hollywood Reporter reports that Disney (meaning Disney Plus) is gaining quickly on YouTube for subscribers.

YouTube is still number 1 in streaming with 12.5% of the streaming market. But Disney is fast closing in with 11.9%.

And who knows? If Disney — a powerhouse — keeps building, they could be far ahead of YouTube by the time of the 2029 Oscars. With ABC and Disney Plus, as well as Hulu, and other subsidiaries, maybe the Oscars should have stayed put.

In Hollywood, it’s one battle after another, isn’t it?

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Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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