The American media company Paramount has announced the closure of MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live channels in the UK and several European countries at the end of the year. This was reported by the BBC, informs UNN.
Details
The publication notes that MTV, which became the world's first 24-hour music television channel, will cease broadcasting music videos in the UK after almost 40 years on air.
At the same time, the flagship MTV HD channel will remain on air, showing reality shows, including Naked Dating UK and Geordie Shore. This move reflects a shift in viewer habits, as music videos are predominantly consumed on YouTube and social media, rather than on television.
It is also reported that the cessation of broadcasts is part of Paramount's global strategy to cut costs by $500 million.
For reference
MTV launched in the US in 1981. The new TV channel quickly became popular with the public, broadcasting pop videos "on demand," presented by hosts who became almost as famous as the stars they announced.
Among the groundbreaking moments in MTV's early years were the world premiere of Michael Jackson's Thriller video, a 16-hour broadcast of Live Aid concerts in 1985, and the birth of the MTV Video Music Awards.
The European branch of MTV launched in 1987, and the UK got its own dedicated channel in 1997 – with a video for David Baddiel and Frank Skinner's football anthem "Three Lions."
Recall
In September, the full list of winners of the MTV Video Music Awards 2025 was announced. Lady Gaga not only triumphed with 12 nominations but also managed to be in two places at once: as part of her "Mayhem Bal" tour at Madison Square Garden, and at the MTV VMAs 2025 ceremony.