It's that time of year again! The 89th Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, are this Sunday, if you hadn't already figured that out from all the ads encouraging you to go see one prestige picture or another.
If you care only about the ceremony itself, and not about of the red-carpet coverage, the show starts at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT. For those who still have cable, satellite or another television service, the ceremony airs on ABC at that time.
But what about the cord-cutters? Well, you're in luck, because you can, in fact, still catch the Oscars, with a little help from the internet. Here, we've compiled just a few ways to stream the Oscars online.
ABC.com or the ABC app
According to its website, ABC.com offers an Oscars live-stream option in the following markets: Chicago, Fresno, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Raleigh-Durham and San Francisco. But there's a catch — you have to have a cable-TV provider to watch the live stream. This would be an option for those who already have cable, but just won't have access to it for whatever reason during the show.
The site also states that those with a DirecTV subscription in several cities will be able to watch the ABC live stream. But again, you have to verify your participating TV provider account to access the ABC live stream in your area.
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The app has similar restrictions. If you have cable, you can sign on with your cable provider's information and watch the Oscars on a device. Theoretically, you could use your parents' info or beg a friend for it, but no promises there.
Digital Antenna
Since ABC is a basic broadcast channel, you may have luck picking up a broadcast of the show via a digital antenna. Some people have better luck with antennas than others, depending on the signal in their area. But this slightly old-school alternative could be an option for some.
Sling TV
Sling TV is a live TV service that streams over the internet, and I've had luck with it in the past. It's not a free option, as its package that includes ABC costs $25 per month. Sling works on many streaming devices (I used it on my laptop), and it includes a one-week free trial. If it's really worth it to you, you could sign up for the trial to watch the awards show, and cancel it before the week is up. But who knows? Maybe you'll end up liking the service enough to keep it.
PlayStation Vue
Cable-replacement service PlayStation Vue offers ABC, and the live stream works in seven cities, including New York and Los Angeles. Packages start at $30, and you can stream on various Sony consoles and smart TVs, plus other streaming players. With PlayStation Vue, you can either watch the ceremony live or record it to watch later. Like Sling TV, you can also subscribe for the show, and cancel later if you're no longer interested after the big event.
Social Media
While it's not an all-inclusive, live-viewing solution, there are likely to be lots of Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram accounts posting clips from the show and snippets from behind the scenes. The official accounts of movie directors, stars, writers and crew members behind some of the biggest movies and performances of the year are likely to be communicating with viewers for publicity purposes. If you really can't watch it live, social media might be the quickest way to see the highlights before the night is out.
Good luck, awards-show fans! May the Oscars-viewing odds be ever in your favor!
Photo credit: Getty Images North America
