NBCUniversal Teams Up with YouTube to Explore Oscars TV Rights Beyond 2029

NBCUniversal, formerly the network that hosted the Golden Globe Awards, is now eyeing the possibility of broadcasting the Oscars. Sources confirmed to Deadline last month that the company has engaged in discussions with the Academy about securing the rights to the prestigious awards ceremony, which will become available after ABC's contract expires following the 2028 broadcast. This move seems to be a natural fit, as NBCUniversal has not hosted a major awards show since it dropped the Golden Globes in 2023, focusing instead on its own Peoples Choice Awards franchise. Additionally, NBCU has achieved considerable success in live entertainment with events like the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade, which has seen its viewership numbers soar in recent years.

NBCUniversal now finds itself competing with YouTube, which expressed interest in acquiring the Oscar broadcasting rights earlier this summer. Amazon has also been rumored as a potential candidate, although the extent of its interest remains unclear. While Netflix, which broadcasts the Actor Awards (formerly the SAG Awards) in an effort to bring stars to its platform, has not shown any desire to pursue the Oscars, sources have confirmed that it has no plans to do so.

The Oscars began to open up to new negotiations this spring, after the exclusive negotiating period between the Academy and ABC, its longtime broadcaster, ended. At that time, the Academy reportedly requested a higher license fee, which ABC was unwilling to meet. This led to a standstill, prompting the Academy to explore the possibility of bringing the awards to other networks and streaming platforms. According to insiders, no discussions have occurred between ABCs parent company, Disney, and the Academy since then, leaving the door open for future talks with the network.

Meanwhile, Disney is already preparing for the Grammy Awards, which it is set to host in 2027.

Author: Harper Simmons