Sky viewers have lost access to three music channels, and Freeview has lost its only full-time music station after That’s TV switched off numerous channels this weekend.
- Music output to continue on That’s TV’s remaining channels
- Just five music channels remain on Sky
- Reports of wider cost-cutting at That’s TV
- That’s TV music channels continue on streaming services
Local TV broadcaster That’s TV has completed the shutdown of its remaining music channels on Sky, drawing a line under a period of rapid expansion into national entertainment services.
Programmes on That’s 80s, That’s Oldies and That’s Melody ended overnight from 28th February into 1st March. Sky will remove the channels from its electronic programme guide (EPG) on Monday morning. The channels were broadcast on Sky channels 359-361.
On Freeview, the full‑time simulcast of That’s Oldies (channel 75) has also ended. The channel was the last full-time regular broadcast music channel on the platform.
However, That’s TV is now streaming four music channels via the Rakuten TV and Pluto TV platforms, including That’s 80s. LG TV users can access That’s TV’s music channels through LG Channels.
End of an expansion era
The closures mark a significant shift for That’s TV, which began as a local television operator before branching out into a suite of national music and entertainment channels across Freeview and Sky. Some of these services also reached Virgin Media households.
With the withdrawal of the That’s TV music stations, Sky viewers are now left with the NOW Music channels as the platform’s only full‑time music outlets. The move follows the recent disappearance of MTV’s linear music channels and Channel 4’s 2024 decision to close 4Music and The Box.
Although many traditional music channels have closed, a new generation of streaming music channels have launched in recent years. Services from Vevo, NOW Music and Xite are available on platforms including Pluto TV, Rakuten TV and Samsung TV Plus.
What remains on air
That’s TV will retain some music programmes on its remaining entertainment channels.
That’s TV 2 has cleared its daytime schedule to run vintage music videos from the 1960s and 70s.
That’s TV 3 also features some music output during off-peak hours. There had been reports suggesting That’s TV 3 would also close this weekend. It has not.
You can watch a selection of That’s TV’s music channels via streaming platforms.
Spotlight on the parent company
The closures have intensified scrutiny of parent company That’s Media Limited, amid reports of substantial cost‑cutting, redundancies and delays in filing financial accounts.
RXTV understands from multiple sources that it is making as much as 50% of its journalists working on local TV news services redundant. That’s TV has not commented publicly on the reports. For the second time since 2024, it is late in filing its annual accounts. The company faces commencement of compulsory strike-off action by Companies House on 3rd March, if it fails to submit accounts.
In December, two of That’s TV’s Freeview channels crashed off air in what is understood to have been a financially related issue regarding distribution on the digital terrestrial television platform.
By: Marc Thornham | Image: That’s TV