Why You Can Trust CNET Oscars 2020: How to stream and watch the awards show online
The Oscars have kicked off. Here's how you can watch!
- Best New Journalist 2019 Australian IT Journalism Awards
Tune in to see if Parasite wins best picture (as it rightly should).
Yes, it's Oscars time and the ceremony is under way. Hollywood's biggest night of the year is taking place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. All the other major awards shows are behind us (get your 100% accurate Oscars predictions here), so it's time to figure out for how to watch or stream the awards show. Or you can boycott the Oscars entirely, depending on how you feel about the lack of diversity in major acting categories and best director (Greta Gerwig was sadly snubbed).
But if you're a Joker fan, hold your breath during the 11 categories the most nominated movie is up for (yes, the most nominated movie at the Oscars is a comic book movie). Parasite has surged into the best picture conversation with big wins in the precursor awards shows, while 1917, The Irishman and Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood flex 10 nominations each. Check out how to watch the Oscars (which are going hostless for the second year in a row) below.
Read more: Oscars 2020 predictions and snubs | Oscar nominations 2020
Date and start time
The Oscars will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California.
US: The Oscars start at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET tonight: Sunday, Feb. 9.
UK: The Oscars start at 1 a.m. GMT on Monday, Feb. 10.
Australia: The Oscars start at midday AEST on Monday, Feb. 10.
How to watch the Oscars online
The Oscars will air on ABC in the US. To stream online, there are a couple of options:
- ABC is streaming the live broadcast of the Oscars on the ABC website, but only to specific cities and only after you sign in with a participating pay TV provider -- typically a cable company, satellite provider or livestreaming service.
- Another option is Locast, which streams local broadcasters, including ABC, in certain large US cities, for free. And of course, you could always use an antenna to try to pick up the ABC station in your area (DVR optional).
- If you subscribe to a live TV streaming service that carries ABC in your city, you can use it to watch the Oscars too. AT&T TV Now (previously DirecTV Now ), Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV all carry ABC in most US cities. All of them offer a seven-day free trial, so you can sign up now and cancel after the ceremony if you want. Note that Sling TV, Fubo TV, AT&T Watch Now and Philo don't carry ABC at all.
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DirecTV Now's basic, $50-a-month Live a Little package includes ABC. You can use its channel lookup tool to see if you get a live feed of Fox and the other local networks in your ZIP code.
Hulu with Live TV costs $45 a month and includes ABC, but check to see which live channels Hulu offers in your area.
YouTube TV costs $50 a month and includes ABC. Plug in your ZIP code on its channel lineup page to see what live, local networks are available where you live.
- Australia: The Oscars will air live on Seven.
- UK: You can watch the Oscars using a Sky Cinema Pass with Now TV (a seven-day free trial is offered).
How to stream the red carpet
The earlier red carpet proceedings will be streamed live on Twitter. You can watch by following the Academy Awards official Twitter account. Sister site Entertainment Tonight Online and as usual the E network, available on many live TV streaming services, will have Oscars pre-coverage all day Sunday, with E's red carpet coverage beginning at 2 p.m. PT. Elsewhere, ABC has its own pre-red carpet coverage starting at 2:30 p.m. PT, and its Oscars Opening Ceremony: Live From the Red Carpet starts at 3:30 p.m. PT.
Originally published earlier and updated as new developments occur.