Daniel Hurwitz

Special for USA TODAY

Celebrate the best of the big screen on any screen at all. On Sunday night, the 86th Annual Academy Awards hosted by Ellen DeGeneres will be streaming live for the first time online and on mobile devices through WATCH ABC. WATCH ABC is available for subscribers to participating pay-TV providers online and through the WATCH ABC app on your iPad, iPhone or Android device.

While you can already access a live stream of the ABC network through WATCH ABC any day of the year, this will be the first time the service is available during the Oscars telecast. In order to access WATCH ABC, you must have a cable subscription through Comcast, Cablevision, Cox Communications, Charter Communications, Midcontinent Communicaitons, Verizion FiOS, Google Fiber or AT&T U-Verse in either New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh-Durham or Fresno.

All viewers, regardless of his or her cable subscription and location, will have access to the second screen experience called "The Oscars Backstage." Pulling live footage from cameras on the red carpet and backstage at the Dolby Theater, "The Oscars Backstage" gives viewers access to three channels that highlight what's going on behind the scenes during the awards telecast. Viewers verified via WATCH ABC will be able to toggle between "The Oscars Backstage" camera positions, such as the Thank You Cam, Winners Walk and Audience and Press Room, and the live telecast.

"For instance, if one of your favorite actors wins an award, you can see the great acceptance speech and then on 'The Oscars Backstage' experience follow them to a Thank You Cam where they can give a longer speech," according to Karin Gilford, SVP, Digital Media, ABC Television Network.

The "Oscars Backstage Experience" will be hosted by entertainment reporter and film critic Ben Lyons, ABC World News contributor Hitha Prabhakar, People magazine's Peter Castro and Good Morning America's Chris Connelly. Video highlights from the 'Oscars Backstage' and live telecast will be available on demand almost immediately after they air at oscar.com/blogs.

The Oscars begin March 2 at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT.