New York, NY – Following the closure of MTV News’ website, Paramount has made significant changes to several other cable channel sites as part of a potential cost-cutting strategy.
As of Wednesday, the Comedy Central, CMT, Paramount Network, and TV Land websites were all redirecting users to Paramount+, the media conglomerate’s streaming platform. This decision comes after MTVnews.com was taken down earlier in the week, erasing two decades worth of stories from the internet.
On the Comedy Central site, a pop-up message informs visitors that episodes of most series are no longer available on the website, encouraging viewers to watch through their TV provider or sign up for Paramount+ to access content. Similar messages can be found on the CMT, Paramount Network, TV Land, and MTV sites.
In a statement, Paramount explained that the streamlined website changes were designed to drive fans towards Paramount+ to watch their favorite shows.
The overhaul of the Comedy Central site, in particular, resulted in the removal of a vast array of archival content from shows like The Daily Show, South Park, Key & Peele, and Workaholics. While some of this content is available on YouTube, it may not be as easily searchable or accessible as it was on the network site.
Paramount+ offers only the two most recent seasons of The Daily Show, with additional South Park specials and the film Bigger, Longer and Uncut available. However, the primary streaming home for The Daily Show remains on Max. Paramount+ does provide access to the full runs of Key & Peele and Workaholics.
Despite these changes, websites for Paramount’s BET, Nickelodeon, and VH1 remain active, while MTV.com still offers some episodes and clips.
The website restructuring comes in the midst of Paramount’s cost-cutting efforts, with co-CEOs George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy, and Brian Robbins announcing a mission to reduce costs by $500 million. Layoffs are expected as part of this initiative, and the company is also exploring the sale of certain assets to strengthen its financial position.