HBO & WB TV Channels Discontinued in India & South Asia

WarnerMedia has announced it will be ceasing operations of its HBO and WB TV channels in India, Pakistan, the Maldives, and Bangladesh later this year, as the company faces challenges in establishing a viable business strategy within South Asia after over ten years of activity in the region.

The company communicated that the HBO and WB TV channels will conclude broadcasting in these territories on December 15. For example, in India, access to both HBO (in high definition) and WB can be added to an existing cable television package for under 25 cents, while the base cable service itself costs approximately $2 per month.

Although HBO enjoys widespread recognition in the United States and numerous other advanced economies, its viewership in India and other South Asian countries remains relatively small. Data from the Broadcast Audience Research Council, India’s official ratings organization, indicates that channels like Times Internet’s Movies Now, Star Movies, and Sony Pix achieved significantly higher viewership numbers than HBO in India during the previous month.

Warner Media attributed its decision to a substantial transformation occurring within the pay-television market. The company confirmed it will maintain the availability of Cartoon Network and Pogo in India, as well as continue distributing CNN International within the country.

“This was not an easy choice, considering the 20-year success of the HBO linear movie channel in South Asia and over a decade for the WB linear movie channel. The pay-TV sector has undergone a significant shift in its environment and market forces, and the Covid-19 pandemic has hastened the requirement for additional adjustments,” stated Siddharth Jain, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of WarnerMedia’s entertainment network in South Asia.

HBO currently has an agreement to license content with Disney’s Hotstar in India. As a result, the streaming platform will continue to provide access to HBO programs like “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” – with the expectation that these shows will be presented without alterations – within the country.

“WarnerMedia remains highly interested in the Indian market and is dedicated to evaluating the best possible avenues for continuing to serve its customers in this region,” added Jain.