As awards season begins to wind down, the Oscars are fast approaching as the most prestigious event to determine the Best Picture of 2024. While there are some awards that seem nearly guaranteed, there are still plenty that could be anyone’s game, and with the recent BAFTA winners and a few surprising SAG award winners, many statues at the 97th Academy Awards are very much up for grabs.

With a first-time Oscars host in Conan O’Brien, plenty of viewers are going to be checking out the Academy Awards. However, there are always questions about how to actually watch the prestigious awards ceremony. As the media landscape has evolved, the ways in which people consume TV, including awards shows, have changed drastically, making it difficult to know where and how someone can watch. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to watch the Oscars, from classic TV networks to various streaming options.

The Oscars Are Available Exclusively On ABC For Free

The 97th Academy Awards Air On Sunday, March 2, at 7 pm. ET/4 pm. PT

Throughout the history of the Oscars, ABC has been the go-to network for watching the show, and the 2025 Academy Awards will be no different. For people who want to go through the classic broadcast or cable TV route, ABC is the only network that will be airing the show as it happens live, giving easy access to those with cable packages. For audiences outside the United States, the Oscars website has a page with information about which international networks the Oscars will be hosted on here.

The Oscars Can Also Be Streamed On Several Services

TV Streaming Has Become A Very Easy Option For Watching Live Shows

As traditional cable packages have been becoming less and less popular with young adults, plenty of different ways to watch the Oscars have cropped up in recent years, mostly available on over-the-top television services like Youtube TV, Hulu Live TV, and others. However, the 97th Academy Awards will also be streamed live on Hulu for the first time, allowing those with a subscription to the service to watch, without the need for any sort of cable package or live TV provider.

Most over-the-top service providers will offer a free trial of their product, and any of those that have access to ABC will also have the Oscars available to watch during that free trial. YouTube TV has a variable trial length, Hulu Live TV has a 3-day free trial, DirectTV has a 5-day trial, and Fubo TV has a 7-day free trial. Base Hulu also has a 30-day free trial, making it one of the easiest options to watch the Oscars when they air on Sunday, March 2nd.