Sky axing beloved channel after 16 years as viewers say it's the 'end of an era'
Sky is set to remove POP Max from all their platforms starting Tuesday, April 22.
The broadcaster had previously hosted the main channel POP Max and POP Max +1 on Sky Q and Sky+HD, and POP Max HD on Sky Glass and Sky Stream.
The channel was already taken off Freeview last year. POP Max, which started in 2008 as Kix and was rebranded as POP in 2017, will no longer be available.
Sky announced the news on its website, but other POP-branded channels will remain on the platform, although some are moving position due to the closures. On satellite, Tiny POP is moving from 618 up to 615, while Tiny POP+1 will jump from 629 to 619 and POP+1 is shifting from 619 to 618.
Viewers were shocked by the news. "End of an era with Kix and Pop Max," one wrote on YouTube.
"Can't say I'm surprised though. Taking it off Freeview back in December was the final nail in the coffin," another said. A third commented: "Didn't see that coming."
POP Max broadcasts animated programmes including Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series and Droners, reports the Express.
This is the latest setback for viewers after a number of channels were axed. In February this year, Sky TV and Virgin Media users lost access to Eurosport services.
This was due to Eurosport owners - Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) - moving content over to its TNT Sports and Discover+ platforms instead.
Sky isn't the only broadcaster axing channels. ITV has also removed popular channels from air recently. In September 2023, ITV's children's channel CITV stopped broadcasting, with their kids' content shifting to the digital-only streamed channel ITVX Kids on the ITVX app.
On April 16 this year, ITV announced further reductions with the closure of ITVBe, which was home to much of the broadcaster's reality content.
The channel, which only launched in 2014 and aired shows such as The Only Way Is Essex and The Real Housewives of Cheshire, will broadcast for the last time in June after just over a decade on air. Its shows will now transition to ITV2, which will premiere the new series of TOWIE in the autumn.
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