The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is actively exploring new broadcast partners for the Oscars after the Hulu live stream of the 97th Academy Awards ran into some technical errors. Many Hulu users were booted from the app or experienced blackouts, preventing viewers from seeing Conan O’Brien’s opening monologue and performances from Wicked‘s Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. The Oscar issues on Hulu were eventually resolved within the first hour, but continued when the ceremony ran overtime and Hulu cut off its live stream.

According to Bloomberg, AMPAS’s exclusive negotiation window with Disney has expired without securing a new agreement, leaving the door open for other streaming giants like Netflix and Prime Video. The current deal, valued at over $100 million annually, has been in place for decades and will continue until 2028, but disagreements over pricing have prompted the Academy to test the market for potential partners.

What This Means For The Oscars’ Future

A Pivotal Moment For Hollywood’s Biggest Night

The Academy Awards remain one of the most-watched live events on television, but viewership on Disney’s ABC has steadily declined over the past two decades, losing over 60% of its peak audience. The Academy has asked them to re-up their deal, but Disney doesn’t want to pay a higher bid, pushing them to seek offers from other platforms. However, making the switch comes with risks, as no streaming platform has yet proven it can deliver the same level of engagement as network television for an event of this scale.

Unlike Netflix, Prime Video, Max, or Apple TV+, Disney offers both a broadcast network and a global streaming service. Nonetheless, other streaming platforms are not immune to technical difficulties either, with Netflix facing similar issues during its recent live-stream of the SAG Awards. Viewers can still rewatch these missed Oscar moments and host Conan O’Brien’s best jokes on Hulu, but feel this was an unacceptable failure for such a major event and have taken to Twitter/X to instantly air their grievances.

Our Take On The Oscars’ Future

A Risky Move That Could Redefine The Awards

The Academy’s decision to test the market is a bold move, and it doesn’t come without risk. Disney has been a reliable home for the Oscars for nearly 50 years, but the Academy desires a larger payout and a broader global reach that platforms like Netflix and Prime Video could provide. However, the live-streaming mishaps on Hulu and Netflix serve as a stark reminder that not all digital platforms are prepared to handle an event of this magnitude.

Source: Bloomberg