Short answer: The ceremony discussed in the original r/Oscars post was the 96th Academy Awards, broadcast on Sunday, March 10, 2024. In the United States, the full ceremony aired live on ABC at 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT. Viewers could watch through a local ABC station, ABC.com or the ABC app with participating-TV-provider authentication, or a live-TV service carrying their local ABC affiliate.
This is now an archival 2024 viewing guide, not a current Oscars schedule. The 2024 ceremony has ended; readers looking for a later ceremony should check the Academy’s current broadcast announcements rather than rely on these historic providers, times, or app instructions.
Which Oscars did “this year” mean?
The Reddit question was published on Friday, March 8, 2024, two days before the 96th Academy Awards. That ceremony:
- took place on Sunday, March 10, 2024;
- honored films released in 2023;
- was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel;
- was held at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood; and
- was broadcast by ABC in the United States and distributed internationally in more than 200 territories.
Because “this year’s Oscars” is now ambiguous, this article uses the absolute date and the year 2024 throughout.
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Quick guide to the legal ways to watch
| Method | Live in 2024? | Cost category | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local ABC over the air | Yes | Free after obtaining an antenna | Your antenna must receive the local ABC affiliate, and that affiliate must carry the ceremony. |
| Cable or satellite | Yes | Included with an eligible television package | Requires a provider subscription and the local ABC channel. |
| ABC.com or the ABC app | Yes | Requires participating-provider credentials | Authentication and market eligibility applied; it was not a universal free stream. |
| Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FuboTV, or AT&T TV | Yes | Paid live-TV subscription, sometimes with an eligible trial | The service had to carry your local ABC affiliate. |
| Sling TV | Yes in selected markets | Paid subscription | ABC was not available nationwide; availability depended on ZIP code and plan. |
| Ordinary Hulu | Not the advertised live route | On-demand subscription | Do not confuse the regular Hulu plan with Hulu + Live TV. |
| Academy ASL YouTube stream | Yes | Free | This was a separate American Sign Language presentation, not the standard telecast. |
| International rights holder | Yes, depending on country | Varies | Broadcasters and streaming services differed by territory. |
When did the 2024 Oscars start?
The main ceremony began at:
- 7:00 p.m. Eastern
- 6:00 p.m. Central
- 5:00 p.m. Mountain
- 4:00 p.m. Pacific
The official ABC red-carpet preshow began at 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT. ABC News also offered earlier coverage, Countdown to Oscars: On the Red Carpet Live!, beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT through ABC News Live. The earlier programming was red-carpet coverage, not the awards ceremony itself.
March 10, 2024 was also the first day of U.S. daylight-saving time. That clock change was one reason contemporaneous viewing guides, including the Associated Press schedule guide, warned viewers to check their local conversion carefully.
How to watch in the United States
Option 1: Use an antenna with your local ABC station
For a viewer with a receivable local ABC signal, an antenna was the least expensive legal way to watch the complete U.S. broadcast. There was no monthly streaming fee, although an antenna and any necessary signal equipment cost money upfront.
- Look up the local ABC affiliate in the television listings.
- Confirm that the listing says The Oscars, rather than only ABC News, a red-carpet special, or alternate local programming.
- If the station is missing, rescan the television or antenna tuner.
- Tune in by 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT for the ceremony, or by 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT for ABC’s official preshow.
An ABC logo on a station does not guarantee that every network special will appear on that station’s schedule. Viewers in the original Reddit thread reported local listings showing alternate programming while other ABC affiliates carried the ceremony. Those reports were anecdotal, but they identify a real practical risk: check the local schedule before relying on an antenna, and keep an authorized backup if the broadcast is important.
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Option 2: Use cable or satellite television
If your cable or satellite package included the local ABC channel, simply use that channel’s live feed. Check the provider’s guide before the event because local-channel availability, temporary carriage disputes, and affiliate issues can affect access.
Option 3: Stream through ABC
ABC’s 2024 viewing instructions allowed viewers to use ABC.com or the ABC app, but the live stream required authentication with a participating television provider and was available only in eligible markets.
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- Open ABC.com or the ABC app used for the 2024 event.
- Select the live Oscars presentation.
- Choose your participating TV provider.
- Sign in with that provider’s account credentials.
- Confirm that the live feed is available in your market.
This was not an account-free, nationwide internet stream. A person who could visit ABC.com but lacked an eligible provider login could still be denied the live ceremony.
Important archival note: ABC discontinued its app on mobile devices and connected TVs on September 23, 2024. Do not treat old instructions to download the 2024 ABC app as current advice. The ABC app discontinuation notice explains the change.
Option 4: Subscribe to a live-TV streaming service
Several services carried the ceremony by providing the viewer’s local ABC affiliate. They did not provide a single universal “Oscars channel,” so checking local availability was essential.
- Hulu + Live TV: This was the Hulu product identified for live ABC access. A regular Hulu on-demand subscription was not the same service.
- YouTube TV: Local channel availability varied by location. Use YouTube TV’s ZIP-code channel checker before subscribing.
- FuboTV: Fubo carried ABC in some markets, but its local-station documentation warned that availability was not universal.
- Sling TV: Sling offered ABC only in selected markets. Check the local-channel availability page by ZIP code and confirm the eligible plan before paying.
- AT&T TV: This was the branding used in some 2024 Oscars guidance. It should not be read as a guarantee that a service under that name remains available today.
The safest order was: enter your ZIP code, verify that the local ABC affiliate appears, start the subscription or eligible trial, and test the ABC live feed before the ceremony.
Were free trials really free?
Some live-TV services offered trials around major events, but a trial was not guaranteed for every customer or every plan. Fubo’s trial guidance, for example, says that only some plans include a free trial.
Before starting a trial:
- verify local ABC availability by ZIP code;
- check the trial length and exact renewal date;
- expect that a valid payment method may be required;
- confirm the cancellation procedure; and
- cancel before renewal if you only need the service for the ceremony.
Do not rely on suggestions to create multiple accounts or alter email addresses to obtain repeated trials. Those tactics may violate a service’s terms and are not a dependable viewing strategy.
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Is regular Hulu enough?
No—not for the advertised 2024 live broadcast. The official 2024 guidance named Hulu + Live TV, not the ordinary on-demand Hulu plan, as the Hulu option for watching ABC live.
Some Reddit users said the full ceremony appeared on Hulu after the broadcast. That was user-reported rather than a clearly documented advance promise for the 2024 event, so it should be treated as a possible delayed replay, not as a guaranteed live or next-day feature. Clips, speeches, and red-carpet programming are also different from the complete ceremony.
ABC later reported that live Oscars streaming became available to all Hulu subscribers in 2025. That later policy does not change what was required for the March 10, 2024 broadcast; it also should not be used to infer the rules for every future ceremony.
How viewers outside the United States could watch
U.S. ABC streams and U.S. live-TV services were generally intended for U.S. markets. International viewers should use the Academy’s country-by-country international listings, then follow the local broadcaster’s official television, website, or app instructions.
These were examples of the 2024 rights arrangements:
| Country or region | 2024 broadcaster or service | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | ITV1 and ITVX | ITV’s 2024 announcement described ITV1 and ITVX as the exclusive U.K. home, including ceremony and red-carpet programming. |
| Canada | CTV and Crave | Check whether the local CTV station or authorized Crave option is included with your provider. |
| Australia | Seven Network and 7plus | Confirm local availability and whether a 7plus account or other restriction applies. |
| Ireland | RTÉ 2 and RTÉ Player | Check the RTÉ schedule and local streaming requirements. |
| Latin America | TNT | Check the local TNT channel or authorized regional streaming option. |
These assignments were specific to the 2024 ceremony. International rights can change from one Academy Awards edition to the next, and the ceremony may air overnight or on the following calendar day depending on the country.
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Accessibility: the official ASL presentation
The Academy provided an official 96th Oscars American Sign Language livestream on YouTube. It was a legitimate free online option for viewers who wanted that accessibility presentation.
It should not be described as a free general U.S. livestream of the standard ABC telecast. The normal U.S. ceremony routes remained local ABC, authenticated ABC access, or a live-TV service carrying local ABC.
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There was no verified general-purpose free YouTube stream of the standard 2024 U.S. telecast to recommend. YouTube search results could include red-carpet broadcasts, commentary watch-alongs, short clips, fake live videos, or unauthorized rebroadcasts. The official Academy ASL stream was the important exception, but it was a separate presentation.
Oscar night also attracted spam accounts and bots promoting links that disappeared, redirected viewers, demanded suspicious registration, or displayed aggressive pop-ups. Do not enter a television-provider password or credit-card information into a site merely because it uses Oscars branding. The Federal Trade Commission warns that illegal streaming apps and add-ons can install malware, create pop-ups, slow devices, or redirect users to unwanted sites.
What to do if the stream fails
- Confirm the program. Make sure you selected the live local ABC affiliate, not ABC News Live, a red-carpet feed, or a highlights channel.
- Check local availability again. Enter your ZIP code on the streaming service’s channel checker. A service may be available in your city while lacking ABC in your particular market.
- Refresh or restart. Close and reopen the app, restart the browser, or try the service’s web player instead of its television app.
- Check authentication. ABC.com access required a participating provider and an eligible market. An account login alone did not guarantee access.
- Try the broadcast signal. Switch to cable, satellite, or an antenna if the local ABC feed is available there.
- Check for affiliate preemption. Compare the local station’s schedule with the network listing. If the affiliate is carrying alternate programming, use a previously verified authorized backup.
- Do not use random search-result links as a backup. A disappearing or suspicious stream is more likely to create a security problem than solve a viewing problem.
What not to assume about VPNs
A VPN may appear in online discussions as a way to reach a broadcaster in another country, but it is not a guaranteed or necessarily authorized solution. The broadcaster may block VPN addresses, require a local account or address, or prohibit access from outside its territory. Use the authorized broadcaster for your own country whenever possible rather than treating a VPN workaround as a dependable viewing option.
Archival update: why old Oscars guides can mislead
Several details in a 2024 guide have since changed:
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- The 2024 ceremony took place on March 10, 2024, so it is no longer available as a live event.
- The ABC app used in the 2024 instructions was discontinued on mobile devices and connected TVs on September 23, 2024.
- ABC reported that all Hulu subscribers gained live Oscars streaming access in 2025, whereas the 2024 guidance specifically pointed viewers to Hulu + Live TV.
- The 2026 Oscars were held on March 15, 2026. This page is not a guide to that ceremony or to any future edition; check the Academy’s current ceremony information for newer arrangements.
The key lesson is to verify the year, the exact program, the local ABC affiliate, and the plan name before subscribing. “Watch on ABC,” “watch on Hulu,” and “free Oscars stream” were all incomplete descriptions without those qualifications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Could I watch the complete 2024 Oscars for free with an antenna?
Yes, if your antenna could receive a local ABC affiliate and that affiliate carried the ceremony. Check the station’s schedule first; an ABC-branded station could theoretically show alternate local programming or experience a local issue.
Did the regular Hulu plan stream the 2024 Oscars live?
No. The official 2024 guidance identified Hulu + Live TV as the live Hulu option. Ordinary Hulu may have offered a delayed replay according to user reports, but that was separate from live access and was not a guaranteed advance promise.
Was the official Oscars YouTube stream the normal ceremony?
The verified 2024 Academy YouTube stream was an American Sign Language presentation. It was an official accessibility stream, not a general free YouTube simulcast of the standard ABC broadcast.
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Use the Academy’s country-by-country international listings and the authorized broadcaster for your territory. For 2024, examples included ITV1 and ITVX in the United Kingdom, CTV and Crave in Canada, Seven Network and 7plus in Australia, RTÉ 2 and RTÉ Player in Ireland, and TNT in Latin America. Rights can change for later ceremonies.
The Bottom Line
For the 2024 ceremony, the cheapest U.S. route was a local ABC affiliate received by antenna. If that was unavailable, verify local ABC by ZIP code before choosing Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FuboTV, or—where supported—Sling TV. ABC.com required participating-provider authentication, regular Hulu was not the advertised live option, and the official free YouTube stream was the separate ASL presentation. Outside the U.S., use the Academy’s territory-specific broadcaster list and avoid suspicious unofficial streams.
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