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MTV, the pioneering 24-hour music television network, is slated to discontinue its rolling pop video programming in the United Kingdom after nearly four decades, with the closure of five channels scheduled for the end of the year.
According to the BBC, MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live will cease broadcasting operations after December 31.
However, the flagship channel, MTV HD, will remain operational, focusing on reality series such as Naked Dating UK and Geordie Shore.
This decision reflects a significant shift in consumer behavior, with music videos now predominantly consumed on platforms like YouTube and various social media outlets, rather than traditional television. A representative for Paramount, MTV’s parent company, has declined to issue a statement regarding the matter.
Simone Angel, a former MTV VJ, expressed her sentiments to BBC News, stating she was “really sad, and I’m a little bit in disbelief, and I know it’s been a long time coming”.
She further emphasized, “We need to support these artists and we all need to dance again and listen to music. And I know we do that online in our own little bubbles, but MTV was the place where everything came together. So it really does break my heart.”
MTV’s launch in the United States in 1981 quickly captivated audiences with its “on demand” pop video format, presented by enthusiastic “VJs” (video jockeys) who often achieved celebrity status akin to the artists they introduced.
Key moments in MTV’s formative years include the world premiere of Michael Jackson’s Thriller video, a 16-hour broadcast of the Live Aid concerts in 1985, and the inception of the MTV Video Music Awards.
A European counterpart was established in 1987, with the UK receiving its dedicated channel in 1997, launching with the music video for David Baddiel and Frank Skinner’s football anthem, Three Lions.
The channel provided early opportunities for presenters such as Cat Deeley, Zane Lowe, and Emma Willis, and later expanded into original programming with series like Ex On The Beach and Teen Mom UK.
Angel, who contributed to both MTV Europe and MTV UK in the 1990s, described the era as “wild.”
“It was like being on a school trip without any teachers. We had so much fun,” she recalled.
“MTV Europe was really the forerunner to the internet. We were the most widespread TV channel in the world at that point. We had between 100 and 150 million viewers.”
She recounted an anecdote in which former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev informed the head of MTV that the channel had influenced young people in Communist countries behind the Iron Curtain during the 1980s.
“He said, ‘Music achieved more than missiles’, because MTV Europe was the first channel that showed what Western life was like. It went past all the propaganda and we showed youth culture, and people wanted that. It was incredibly important.”
Angel believes that there is still a place for music on television.
“You’ve just got to move with the times. To this day, it’s one of the most recognisable brands in the world. Why on earth throw that away? It’s not thrown away, but it’s just reality TV. That’s not what MTV is or should be.”
In 2011, the main MTV UK channel ceased broadcasting music videos altogether, redirecting all music programming to its affiliated stations, with the exception of the annual MTV European Music Awards.
That ceremony – which has hosted memorable events, including The Spice Girls’ final performance before their split in 2000, and Rita Ora’s tearful tribute to Liam Payne last year – is currently on pause.
Paramount put the event on ice earlier this year as it pursued a merger with entertainment company Skydance Media.
The deal was approved in July, but no decision has been made about the future of the EMAs.
Paramount is also expected to close MTV music channels in countries including Australia, Poland, France and Brazil, according to media reports in those countries.
The closures come as the company seeks to cut costs by as much as $500m (£396m) across its global portfolio.
In August, it closed Paramount Television Studios, which produced series including action thriller Jack Ryan and children’s adventure series The Spiderwick Chronicles.
The layoffs also affected MTV productions in the UK, where original shows Gonzo and Fresh Out UK were cancelled.
According to the latest ratings from Barb, MTV’s music channels continued to attract modest audiences in the UK. MTV music had 1.3 million viewers in July, with MTV 90s attracting 949,000.
The brand will also continue to have a presence on social media and Paramount’s streaming service Paramount+.
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