Will Tonight’s Academy Awards Air In 4K On ABC Or Hulu?
By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – Buy Me a Coffee!
TV Answer Man, do you know if Hulu or ABC will have the Oscars in 4K? I would think that it’s a no brainer, right? Beautiful people. Beautiful outfits. Perfect for 4K. – Shelley, Reno.
Shelley, the 98th annual Academy Awards, better known as The Oscars, will air tonight (March 15, 2026) at 7 p.m. ET. You can watch the live show on your local ABC affiliate, and for the first time, Hulu.
But will it be available in 4K on either the ABC affiliate or Hulu?
Answer: No. In fact, the Oscars have never been available in 4K despite the obvious advantages of broadcasting a show with such picturesque images.
The reason why, of course, is simple: Money. It’s cheaper to do a HD production than a 4K production, even an upscaled 4K production. The networks have long concluded that the extra cost and manpower hours required to broadcast in 4K is simply not worth it. There’s little evidence that a 4K show will generate better ratings, and more importantly, more advertising revenue. That’s why Disney has restricted the company’s 4K broadcasts to select ESPN college football and basketball games.
Shelley, I hope that answers your question. Happy viewing and stay safe!
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Award shows used to be fun. They were an opportunity to celebrate talent, creativity, and the shared enjoyment of film, music, and television.
Over time, however, many of these events have become less about the art and more about political messaging. When some of the most privileged and protected individuals in society use these platforms primarily to lecture audiences or criticize the country that helped provide their success, it can make the experience feel disconnected from the viewers at home.
Entertainment has a unique ability to bring people together. It would be nice if award shows focused more on celebrating the work and less on turning what should be a night of entertainment into a political stage.