Viewers of several MTV channels have shared their thoughts after the Paramount-owned company ceased broadcasting in the UK and Europe just before New Year’s Day
Alan Johnson Social News Reporter
13:02, 02 Jan 2026Updated 13:02, 02 Jan 2026
MTV viewers have expressed their sadness after several of its channels ceased broadcasting(Image: Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Music lovers have expressed their sadness after MTV stopped broadcasting its 24-hour music channels in the UK and Europe after more than four decades. It brought to an end the airing of MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live.
Now, MTV HD will be devoted solely to reality television and films. It comes after MTV’s parent company, Paramount Global said it could be making cost-cutting measures of $500 million last year across its portfolio. Now, viewers attempting to see what’s coming up on the platforms – via Sky and Virgin Media’s planners – are met with a message stating that the channels are now closed.
“MTV officially shut down its 24-hour music channels yesterday,” nostalgic X account, 80s Kidz posted on X on New Year’s Day.
The post continued, outlining the poignancy of the moment: “They ended their final broadcast with ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’ by The Buggles, the very first video broadcasted by MTV on August 1, 1981.”
Writing in response, one X user shared: “End of a generation. Modern day kids won’t appreciate or understand how this channel created their parents. Time is a cruel mistress. Just like the closing of Blockbuster Video. This one is sad too.”
A second person declared: “Well, end of an era, but what an era it was! MTV launched legends and changed culture forever. Now music lives on YouTube, TikTok, and Spotify… more accessible than ever. Thanks for the launchpad; onto the next chapter.”
A third added: “Farewell MTV – I won’t forget watching so many iconic music videos for the first time; Prince crawling out of the tub in When Doves Cry, Slash guitar solo from November Rain, or Walken dancing in Weapon of Choice.”
Whilst a fourth mused: “That is full circle and kind of poetic. MTV shaped generations, and ending with the song that started it all feels like a respectful bow. Media evolves, but milestones like this leave a lasting mark.”
Others claimed MTV had been the product of its own downfall, meanwhile, outlining that the writing had been on the wall ever since its main channel stopped playing music videos in 2008.
“If they’d have stuck with JUST music videos they’d be as popular as ever…instead they went to outrageous ‘reality’ TV shows that were intolerable,” one X user fumed.
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Another concurred: “That’s what greed as well as technology does. MTV Destroyed itself years ago with mainly being about reality television instead of music.”
And a third person wrote: “They should have stayed a music channel instead of going for the quick cash as a lifestyle channel. Their ratings would have been fine, since people would have left it going in the background instead of listening to the radio. The Real World fakery ruined them long-term.”
The MTV closure isn’t the only change. Four children’s TV channels are also set to close. Pop, Tiny Pop, Pop+1, and Tiny Pop+1 will all be permanently removed from the listings at the end of the year.
In total, nine channels will disappear from Sky and Virgin Media TV.