MTV is pulling the plug on much of its global music television presence. Parent company Paramount Skydance announced last week that five of the network’s U.K. music channels—MTV Music, MTV ’80s, MTV ’90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live—will go off the air after December 31, 2025.
Only the flagship MTV HD will continue airing, primarily focusing on reality programming such as “Geordie Shore” and “Naked Dating UK.” This decision reflects changing viewing habits, according to the BBC, as audiences increasingly watch music videos on platforms like YouTube and social media instead of traditional TV.
The announcement follows a recent Wall Street Journal story revealing that Paramount Skydance is exploring ways to revitalize MTV and its sister networks, “while rivals spin them off.” Sources told the New York Post that, for now, CEO David Ellison and his deputy Jeff Shell have no plans to close MTV’s U.S. operations, emphasizing that the channel remains an “iconic brand” with sufficient viewership to sustain it.
Similar closures are expected in other regions, including Australia, Poland, France, and Brazil. In August, the company also shuttered Paramount Television Studios, the production arm behind shows like “Jack Ryan” and “The Spiderwick Chronicles.”
MTV debuted in 1981 and transformed how audiences discovered music through its 24-hour rotation of music videos. The channel played a central role in launching the careers of artists such as Michael Jackson and Madonna and became known for major cultural moments including the debut of Jackson’s “Thriller,” its broadcast of the 1985 Live Aid concerts, and the creation of the MTV Video Music Awards.
Its first generation of video jockeys, or VJs, became celebrities themselves as MTV turned music television into a global phenomenon.
Former MTV VJ Simone Angel told BBC News that the decision “really does break my heart,” adding that the shift toward reality programming feels like a loss.
“You’ve just got to move with the times. To this day, [MTV] is one of the most recognizable brands in the world. Why on earth throw that away?” she said.
“It’s not thrown away, but it’s just reality TV,” she continued. “That’s not what MTV is or should be.”
https://www.salon.com/2025/10/20/mtv-pulls-the-plug-on-key-music-channels-after-40-years/
