In a move emblematic of shifting media consumption habits, Paramount Skydance—the newly merged parent company of MTV—has confirmed the permanent shutdown of all its international music-focused television channels by the close of 2025. The decision, part of broader cost-cutting measures, will affect markets including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, Brazil, Poland, and Hungary.
While the flagship MTV HD channel will continue broadcasting reality programming such as Geordie Shore and Catfish, its identity as a music-first platform has effectively vanished. The closure signals the end of a cultural institution that, since its 1981 U.S. launch with The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star,” revolutionized how music was promoted, consumed, and experienced globally.
MTV’s international expansion—beginning with MTV Europe in 1987 and followed by country-specific feeds like MTV UK in 1997—once united millions of viewers around shared musical moments. From Michael Jackson’s Thriller premiere to Nirvana’s grunge explosion via “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” the channel shaped fashion, language, and youth identity across continents. For many, MTV was more than a TV network—it was a communal gateway to global pop culture.
However, the rise of YouTube, TikTok, and on-demand streaming has rendered linear music television economically unsustainable. According to industry insiders, music fans now prefer personalized, algorithm-driven content over scheduled broadcasts. “No one makes money from them,” noted one production executive, reflecting on today’s shrinking music video budgets.
Former MTV VJ Simone Angel expressed sorrow at the announcement, calling the channel “the forerunner to the internet” and recalling its influence even behind the Iron Curtain. “MTV was the place where everything came together,” she told the BBC. “It really does break my heart.”
Although MTV’s music channels maintained modest viewership—MTV Music drew 1.3 million UK viewers in July 2025—the financial reality proved inescapable. Paramount aims to cut up to $500 million in global expenses following its merger with Skydance, prompting not only channel closures but also layoffs and the cancellation of original programming.
Despite the shutdown, MTV’s legacy endures through digital platforms, the VMAs, and its vast archive. Yet for a generation that grew up waiting for countdown shows and video premieres, December 31, 2025, will mark more than a business decision—it will close the final chapter on music television as a shared cultural experience.
Paramount Skydance announces the closure of MTV’s five dedicated international music channels—MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live—effective December 31, 2025, marking the definitive end of MTV’s decades-long role as a global music video broadcaster.