MTV, in a major development at the beginning of the year 2026, shut down its 24-hour music channel after 44 years.
The closure that took effect on December 31, 2025, affected MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV and MTV Live.
The shutdown news sparked numerous different kinds of speculation, including confusion about the affected regions and the complete shutdown of the music channel.
However, Variety confirmed that although on New Year’s Eve Paramount Skydance permanently closed several MTV-branded music channels, MTV is still around.
A source told the outlet, “MTV’s specialist music channels in the UK will no longer operate as linear channels. The flagship MTV UK channel will continue to broadcast… Paramount is reviewing and adjusting its international pay TV portfolio, given shifts in audience behaviour towards streaming and digital platforms.”
Meanwhile, Rolling Stone reported that the decision will not only affect channels in the UK but also in Australia, Poland, France and Brazil.
Despite the closure of music channels, “MTV’s flagship channels” will continue to broadcast globally as per normal.
Moreover, for the users in the US, the existing channels, including MTV and MTV2, will broadcast without any change.
It is worth noting that MTV shifted its focus from being only “Musical Television” a long time ago but is still keeping it alive in the US with digital channels like MTV Classic, MTV Live, and FAST channels on Pluto TV (MTV Biggest Pop, MTV Spankin' New, Yo! MTV, and MTV Flow Latino).
