Oscars latest: Who should win – and what’s inside nominees’ unofficial £260k goodie bags
Oscars Shift to YouTube: A New Era for the Ceremony
The 101st Academy Awards ceremony is set to take place today, with stars like Jessie Buckley, Michael B. Jordan, Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Emma Stone preparing to walk the red carpet at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Sky News is providing live coverage from Los Angeles, keeping fans updated on the latest developments.
Significant changes loom for the future of the Oscars. Starting in 2029, the annual film awards will be broadcast exclusively on YouTube, marking a departure from its long-standing home on the ABC network. This move will grant the video platform access to a global audience of two billion viewers, allowing the event to be streamed for free worldwide.
The Academy’s New Partnership
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences finalized a deal with Google-owned YouTube at the end of 2028. Under the agreement, YouTube will hold the exclusive global rights to the Oscars and its associated events, including the red carpet and Governors Ball afterparty, from 2029 to 2033.
“We are thrilled to enter into a multifaceted global partnership with YouTube to be the future home of the Oscars and our year-round academy programming,” said Academy chief executive Bill Kramer and president Lynette Howell Taylor.
Last year’s ceremony drew 19.7 million viewers on ABC, a record five-year high. However, this pales in comparison to the 57 million who watched in 1998. ABC has hosted the Oscars for nearly its entire history, with NBC briefly taking over from 1971 to 1975. The network will conclude its run with the 100th anniversary broadcast, airing its final episode with the event.
As the clock ticks toward 11:30am in Los Angeles, the Sky News Oscars team is in full preparation mode. On-camera correspondent Katie Spencer is finishing her professional styling at the hotel before heading to her assigned spot to cover the festivities.
Working alongside her are hair stylist Melissa and make-up artist Naisha, who are accustomed to transforming A-list celebrities for award shows. While the Oscars remain the pinnacle of the event calendar, Los Angeles hosts numerous other star-studded gatherings throughout the year.
“I consult about what they’re wearing, what kind of style they want and then we both come to an image together,” Melissa explained. “For Katie, we’re aiming for a vintage Hollywood aesthetic with waves and a classic look.”
Naisha, with nearly a decade of experience in the industry, noted that awards weekends are inherently demanding. “These can be long days, so you kind of have to power through the whole weekend,” she added. “I started at 7am, and Katie is my fourth client today.” She also mentioned her preference for a brown, smoky eye for Katie, avoiding black to maintain a lighter tone.
Earlier this week, the experts at Gold Derby, a Los Angeles-based organization with over 25 years of tracking entertainment events, shared their insights on the upcoming ceremony. Editor-in-chief Debra Birnbaum highlighted that this year’s awards season is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory.
“This time, the only person I would say I feel reasonably confident about is Jessie Buckley,” Birnbaum remarked. “It’s been a wild awards season, and the competition is fierce.”
Birnbaum emphasized the significance of Buckley’s performance, which has earned her all four major awards: Golden Globes, BAFTAs, Critics’ Choice, and Actor Awards. This consistency makes her a strong contender. “It’s a transformative performance, the kind that resonates deeply with voters,” she said.
Interestingly, Russell Crowe is the only individual to have won all precursor awards and then lost an Oscar. This rare occurrence adds to the intrigue of this year’s race. With the transition to YouTube underway, the ceremony’s future is set to evolve, but the excitement surrounding this year’s nominations remains unchanged.
