MTV Is Shutting Down: Paramount Global Kills The Video Star 

Paramount Global announced MTV is shutting down. After more than 40 years of influencing music culture, MTV networks are to sign off on December 31, 2025.

Paramount Global made the announcement on earlier this week. The channels being shut down are MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live. MTV was the place for GenXers to go for music videos and live performances. In addition to nostalgic hits and shaping how audiences experienced pop culture, fashion, and entertainment. Their closure marks the end of a defining era in music television. However, Paramount Global is leaving only the main MTV channel. The main MTV channel stopped showing music videos nearly 2 decades ago. 

Paramount Global Is Permanently Shutting Down These MTV Channels

The five channels that will stop broadcasting globally include:

• MTV Music – the flagship destination for music videos
• MTV 80s – retro hits and nostalgic favourites
• MTV 90s – alternative rock and pop classics
• Club MTV – dance music and electronic beats
• MTV Live – live performances and concert coverage

The main MTV channel will remain on air. However, the programming now focuses mainly on reality shows rather than music content.

The closures will first affect the United Kingdom and Ireland  and across continental Europe. In addition, the shut down will then be followed by other international markets. 

Why Is MTV Shutting Down?

Paramount Global listed a number of reasons for dismantling the MTV Networks:

Changing Viewing Habits:

Cable television audiences increasingly turned to platforms like YouTube and Spotify for music videos. Thus, reducing demand for traditional music television.

Corporate Cost-Cutting:

Paramount Global’s merger with Skydance Media hastened the closures. The new company wants to aggressively shed $500 million global cost.

Declining Viewership:

While channels like MTV Music and MTV 90s have traditionally drew a modest audience of 1.3 million. However, in July 2025, that number dropped to 949,000 viewers. The overall viewership of traditional music television has steadily declined over the past decade. These channels now attract only a fraction of the audiences they commanded in the 1990s and 2000s. Thus, making them financially unsustainable.

However, Paramount Global plans on maintaining MTV through social media platforms and on Paramount+. This allows the brand to remain relevant in the digital age while adapting to changing audience preferences.

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