The era of music television channels is becoming a thing of the past. The legendary MTV channel has announced the end of its operations in Europe. It will cease broadcasting in the UK, Germany, Poland, Hungary, and several other European countries, local media reported.
According to the information, several popular channels under the MTV network — MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live — will go off air starting December 31, 2025. Only one branch, MTV Reality, which focuses on reality shows, will remain.
This decision marks a historic turning point for MTV. The reason is clear: times have changed, and so has the audience. Nowadays, people watch music videos and concerts not on television but on digital platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, and TikTok. For younger generations, smartphone screens have replaced traditional TV.
MTV first aired in the United States in 1981, launching a new era of music culture with the song “Video Killed The Radio Star.” For decades, it was a symbol of pop culture, fashion, and youth lifestyle. Once, MTV’s British and European channels were among the most-watched in every household.
However, the rise of the internet, social media, and video platforms has taken away MTV’s core audience, altering the channel’s financial model. Today, MTV is focusing more on reality shows and streaming content.
MTV representatives stressed that the closure of its channels does not mark the end of the brand but rather a transition to a new phase. The channel will continue its work online in a modern format.
Thus, the “era of music television” — a whole cultural phenomenon — is coming to an end. MTV remains a symbol of an entire generation’s youth, but now that symbol is moving onto the internet stage.
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