MTV to cut five channels in UK

Paramount owned MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV and MTV Live will all stop broadcasting after 31 December, according to a BBC report. 

MTV HD will remain broadcasting but will show reality series such as Naked Dating UK and Geordie Shore. The brand will also continue to have a presence on social media and streaming service Paramount+. 

The closures come against a background of changing viewing habits. Audiences now largely watch music videos on YouTube and social media rather than television.  

A spokesman for MTV's parent company, Paramount, declined to comment to the BBC. 

MTV launched in the US in 1981. A European offshoot launched in 1987 and the UK got its own dedicated channel in 1997. 

Paramount is also expected to close MTV music channels in countries including Australia, Poland, France and Brazil, according to media reports. 

The closures come as the company seeks to cut costs following its merger this year with Skydance. 

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.