Warner Media has announced that it will discontinue HBO (Home Box Office) and WB (Warner Brothers) in India and broadcasting in South Asian countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh and Maldives from December 15th.
The closure of HBO and WB is an indicator of the growth of OTT platforms accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a report by BARC, HBO viewership is far behind SONY PIX and Star Movies.
HBO stated that they will continue streaming Cartoon Network, POGO, and CNN International. HBO also maintains a content syndication partnership with Disney's Hotstar in India, where it will continue to offer its shows such as "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver."
HBO has made the decision to cease their transmission after 20 years of success in South Asia for the HBO linear movie channel and more than a decade with the WB linear movie channel.