Is the Downfall Of MTV Coming?

Headlines are reporting the end of an era. Media outlets have been claiming that MTV is shutting down after 44 years, but is this true?

A quick Google search will give you results like these:

These reports are (mostly) fake news to get people to click headlines, but there is a nugget of truth in there. Some MTV channels are shutting down… in Europe.

Paramount Global is ending some of its dedicated 24-hour MTV music channels, particularly in some European countries, on Dec. 31, 2025. However, no impacted channel is 44 years old. Many of them launched in this decade, though some have been on air longer (MTV 90s has a history dating back to 1999). These networks aren’t known for their original content; they air blocks of music like MTV did when it first launched.

The flagship MTV UK channel isn’t going off air, nor is the original MTV USA. So, if The Challenge wants to air on MTV in the US, that network will remain.

This doesn’t mean MTV is in good shape in the US — there are a lot of changes happening. Long-standing shows like Ridiculousness, Catfish, and Teen Mom seem to be canceled, and remaining shows are downsizing. The Challenge is no exception, after Vets & New Threats; the Official Challenge Podcast is coming to an end.

In 2025, Paramount merged with Skydance, and Paramount Skydance is now in charge of MTV. The media conglomerate has been reworking its cable networks, and MTV has been deprioritized in the process. Likely, this is why many of the legacy programs on MTV have been canceled.

Of course, streaming is still an option, and Bananas seemed to speculate that The Challenge may find a home on Paramount+.

Regardless of The Challenge’s future, MTV USA isn’t going away in the immediate future. It will remain on the air to play endless reruns of Ridiculousness and syndicated shows like The Big Bang Theory. So, if you see a headline about MTV dying after 44 years, it’s false. The original network will keep chugging along, and no other MTV network is as old as the OG US station. However, these changes are a slight cause for concern because they indicate Paramount is willing to dismiss underperforming networks.