MTV to close five UK and Ireland music channels at end of 2025

MTV will close five of its music channels in the United Kingdom and Ireland at the end of 2025, the company announced, marking the end of nearly four decades of continuous music broadcasting in those markets. MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV and MTV Live will cease transmission on Dec. 31, 2025, while the U.K. flagship channel, MTV HD, will remain on air with a programming focus on reality series rather than music videos.

The decision reflects a broader restructuring by MTV's owner, Paramount Global, which is seeking to reduce global costs by roughly $500 million, company officials have said. Executives point to long-term shifts in how audiences discover and watch music as a central factor, with music videos increasingly consumed on digital platforms and short-form apps rather than through linear television.

MTV HD stopped showing music videos in 2011 and has since concentrated on entertainment and reality programming. Under the new plan, MTV HD will continue to broadcast shows such as Naked Dating UK and Geordie Shore. Paramount has also signaled that similar rollbacks of music channels are expected beyond the U.K. and Ireland, with closures planned or under consideration...