The 97th Academy Awards aired on March 2, 2025, under the dazzling lights of Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre. The evening, hosted by Conan O’Brien, was filled with spectacular performances, emotional speeches, and historic wins. Anora, a dark horse contender, swept the night, claiming five Oscars, including Best Picture.
As always, the Oscars provided memorable moments, making it a night to remember for both those in the room and those watching at home.
Related: Painful Health Struggles Sideline Disney Legend from Attending the Oscars
However, while the Oscars were a hit for those in the theater, the experience for viewers at home wasn’t as smooth. Disney’s livestream of the event on Hulu was marred by technical difficulties, leaving many viewers unable to access the broadcast.
Despite paying a premium for Hulu’s live TV feature, many Hulu subscribers found themselves locked out of the Oscars feed, unable to view the event as it unfolded. While the show began at 7 p.m. ET, Hulu did not send out a tweet saying the issue was resolved until 9 p.m.
While Hulu acknowledged the problem via social media, tweeting: “We are aware of the issues and working to fix them,” the problems persisted for many.
The Oscars, broadcast live from Hollywood, were marred by this streaming failure, affecting the experience for thousands of viewers.
Then, as the night wore on, the situation grew even worse. With one of the most anticipated moments of the night — the Best Actress and Best Picture awards — looming, the livestream abruptly cut off just before the momentous announcement.
The broadcast cut back in briefly, only to cut off once more. As the night went on, viewers reported that they were missing out on some of the most prestigious awards, including Best Picture.
Frustration began to build among viewers, and their voices took to social media to express their disappointment.
One tweet read: “Hulu shutting off the Oscars saying it’s over because nobody contemplated it might run long (which it always does) is peak level incompetence.”
Hulu shutting off the Oscars saying its over because nobody contemplated it might run long (which it always does) is peak level incompetence#Oscars #Oscars2025 #hulu pic.twitter.com/MuCRHbnR7e
— Danny Seidel (@Dnseidel) March 3, 2025
Related: Streaming Shake-Up: Disney and Rivals Cancel Service
The frustration was palpable, as many missed some of the most anticipated moments of the night, including Anora’s historic sweep of the evening.
For Disney, this technical disaster has the potential to jeopardize their continued partnership with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). The Oscars have aired on ABC for decades, but Disney’s ownership of both ABC and Hulu means that the streaming service now holds the rights to broadcast the awards show online.
However, with such a high-profile failure on Hulu’s part, AMPAS is already questioning whether it will continue with Disney as its streaming partner for future Oscars broadcasts.
The timing of this technical breakdown is crucial. With the Oscars contract between AMPAS and Disney set to expire in 2028, the Academy is already exploring other options for the future of the broadcast.
According to Bloomberg reports, AMPAS is seriously considering opening up a bidding process in which Netflix or Prime Video could potentially win the rights to stream the Academy Awards. Disney is currently paying more than $100 million annually for the rights, but as the Oscars' viewership numbers have fallen and technical problems arise, AMPAS could be looking for a better deal elsewhere.
As the streaming landscape evolves, it’s becoming more evident that traditional TV networks might be losing their grip on broadcasting events like the Oscars.
Meanwhile, Disney's massive gamble in moving its most prestigious awards show to Hulu is being tested. The technical issues with the livestream are a stark reminder of the risks involved in streaming live events. Despite their control over ABC, Disney has been facing difficulties maintaining the reliability of Hulu’s infrastructure when it comes to live events like the Oscars.
As the dust settles from the Oscars 2025, one thing is clear: the future of Disney’s relationship with AMPAS and its broadcast of the Oscars hangs in the balance. If Hulu continues to face such major issues, AMPAS may choose to sever its ties with Disney, opening the door for a new streaming partner.
While this year’s livestream failure was frustrating for viewers, it also serves as a key moment for AMPAS to evaluate its options. Whether or not the Academy will choose to move its prized broadcast to another platform like Netflix or Prime Video is yet to be seen, but after this disaster, the question of who will control the Oscars broadcast after 2028 is more important than ever.
What did you think about the Oscars broadcast this year? Were you affected by the livestream issues? Let us know in the comments below!
