WarnerMedia International today announced that it had decided to pull the plug on the linear transmission of HBO SD and HBO HD linear movie channels along with the WB linear movie channel which will see it exit the English Movie genre in India on pay-TV platforms.
HBO SD and HBO HD will be discontinued in India and Pakistan while WB will be discontinued in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Maldives which will come into effect from December 15, 2020.
“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,” said Siddharth Jain, SVP and Managing Director for WarnerMedia’s entertainment networks in South Asia.
He added “We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to all our partners and fans who have made HBO and WB household names. We also owe a debt of gratitude to all our employees who have worked so passionately on these well-loved brands. WamerMedia has a strong interest in India and are committed to assessing optimal opportunities to serve valued customers here.”
WarnerMedia International will continue to operate and invest in the highly popular Kids brands Cartoon Network and POGO in the South Asia region including increasing local animation production in the region while continuing to oversee the sales and marketing as well as the distribution of CNN International.
The company will continue to have employees based in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru to manage its Kids brands operations.
WarnerMedia is yet to however intimate the cessation of the channels in line with TRAI Interconnection Regulations which should happen next month. The broadcaster will also have to streamline its bouquet offerings as well in view of the shutdowns. The shutdowns will reduce WarnerMedia offerings in India to 4 channels Pogo, Cartoon Network, Cartoon Network HD+, and CNN International.
