New Delhi: American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate Warner Media has decided to discontinue the HBO and WB TV movie channels in India and Pakistan from 15 December 2020. The channels will also be shut down in Maldives and Bangladesh.
Reportedly, WarnerMedia will end HBO and WB TV channels in markets like India, where a cable subscription costs about $4 to $5 a month.
Reason for shutting down HBO, WB channels
The company cited “dramatic market shift in the pay-TV industry” for the closure of the channels, which had been running for over a decade.
In an official statement, Managing Director of WarnerMedia’s entertainment network in South Asia, Siddharth Jain said, “After 20 years of successes for the HBO linear movie channel in South Asia and more than a decade with the WB linear movie channel, this was a difficult decision to make. The pay-TV industry landscape and the market dynamics have shifted dramatically, and the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the need for further change”.
“WarnerMedia has a strong interest in India and are committed to assessing optimal opportunities to serve valued customers here,” said Jain.
There could be two major reasons for this decision. First, the lower subscription price in the South Asia region and the second one, of course! the viewership.
The HBO viewer’s size is comparatively very small than Movies Now, Star Movies, Sony Pix, and others in India.
WB Channel
WB Channel is an Indian pay television channel that was launched on 15 March 2009 by AT&T’s Warner Media through its international division exclusively for the Indian subcontinent. The channel features a mix of Hollywood films and television dramas.
Other channels operated by Warner Media
Additionally, the Warner Media also operates tv channels like CNN and Cartoon Network in India. The media giant will continue to operate and invest in kid’s brands Cartoon Network and POGO.