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YouTube Secures Exclusive Global Rights To Stream The Oscars Starting 2029

Historic Shift In Broadcasting

YouTube has emerged as a major force in live event broadcasting by winning exclusive rights to stream the Oscars beginning in 2029. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the groundbreaking deal, which will extend through 2033, marking an end to ABC’s long-standing tenure as the Oscars’ broadcast partner since 1961 (aside from an interim shift in the early 1970s). This strategic move underscores the changing landscape of television, where streaming platforms are rapidly redefining viewer engagement for marquee events.

Expanding The Oscars Experience

The new agreement not only covers the live broadcast of the 101st Oscars in 2029 but also provides an expansive range of content that includes red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes access, the Oscar nominations announcement, exclusive filmmaker interviews, Governors Ball insights, film education programs, and podcasts. With more than 2 billion viewers worldwide and additional access for YouTube TV subscribers in the United States, the Academy is poised to significantly extend its global reach.

Industry Ramifications And Strategic Insights

This landmark deal reflects YouTube’s growing dominance in the television space, as highlighted in recent industry analyses. The decision to transition one of the four major awards shows fully to a streaming platform signals a major reorientation in industry strategy—a similar precedent was set when Netflix acquired rights to the SAG Awards in 2024. The shift comes amid declining traditional television ratings for the Oscars, with viewership falling from a peak of 55 million in 1998 to approximately 20 million in recent years.

Leadership Perspectives And Future Opportunities

Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor expressed their enthusiasm in a joint statement, emphasizing that partnering with YouTube will extend the Oscars’ legacy and expand access to the Academy’s diverse programming. In a parallel statement, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan affirmed that the collaboration will not only celebrate artistic excellence but also inspire a new generation of filmmakers and storytellers around the globe.

New Era For Live Entertainment

The exclusive streaming rights represent a strategic leap forward for both the Oscars and the broader entertainment industry. By embracing cutting-edge digital platforms, the Academy is adapting to evolving consumer behaviors, ensuring that the celebration of cinematic excellence remains accessible to a worldwide audience well into the future.

Trump Administration Launches AI-Powered America.gov With Google Gemini And Elon Musk’s Grok

The Trump administration has unveiled a new chatbot designed to help Americans navigate government websites, powered by artificial intelligence from Google’s Gemini and Elon Musk’s Grok, according to U.S. Chief Design Officer Joe Gebbia.

Gebbia said the system, launched through America.gov, is intended to make federal information easier to find, more current and more reliable. Speaking to CNBC’s Squawk Box shortly before the site went live, he described the initiative as a major step toward modernizing the public-facing digital experience of government.

A Digital Front Door For Government Services

According to Gebbia, the platform connects with roughly 29,000 government websites and scans those sources in real time to answer user questions with information drawn only from official channels.

“You come to America.gov and you ask for what you need, and in a chat interface, we go off on the back end and scan across all those tens of thousands of websites to pull in any information that is specific to whatever your request is, and give you a personalized response that’s only from official sources,” he said. “So there’s no chance of getting outdated or inaccurate information like you might on third-party websites.”

The pitch is straightforward: replace the fragmented, often outdated experience of navigating government portals with a single conversational interface. For a public sector ecosystem spread across thousands of websites, that kind of centralization could prove consequential.

Google Touts Gemini’s Role

Google confirmed its involvement in a blog post published Tuesday, saying it was “proud to be named a technology partner” in what it called a vital initiative. The company said Gemini would help more than 100 million people access public resources “with greater speed and ease.”

Google added that it remains committed to supporting the administration’s digital modernization effort and making public services “seamless, accessible, and responsive for all Americans.” A Google spokesperson referred CNBC to that post for comment.

Musk, Xai And The Broader AI Network

Grok developer xAI, which CNBC reported was acquired by SpaceX and renamed SpaceXAI, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Gebbia also serves on Tesla’s board, and Tesla uses Grok in its vehicles, placing him at the intersection of government technology, transportation and Musk’s wider AI ecosystem.

The involvement of both Google and Musk-linked technology underscores how public-sector AI adoption is increasingly being shaped by the same companies driving the commercial AI race. That convergence is likely to draw scrutiny as governments seek faster, smarter services without compromising accuracy, neutrality or accountability.

Trump Casts The Launch As A Broader Reset

The site was introduced during a day-long event at Washington’s Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, attended by President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other administration officials and business leaders.

“It’s not just simply a website. It’s a restoration of America’s founding promise, and it’s a reinvention of your government for the 21st century and beyond,” Trump said during remarks at the event.

The program also includes panel discussions on artificial intelligence, energy, health, space and agriculture, reflecting the administration’s effort to frame AI as a cross-sector policy priority rather than a narrow technology project.

For Washington, America.gov is more than a consumer-facing chatbot. It is a test case for how far AI can go in reshaping the state’s relationship with citizens—especially when the promise is efficiency, but the expectations are trust, precision, and scale.

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