Multiple Cable Channels Shutting Down — Including HBO Family

A major shakeup is hitting the TV landscape as several channels prepare to get unplugged later this summer.

Charter Spectrum systems informed their customers last week that on Friday, Aug. 15, Warner Bros. Discovery will shut down four of its multiplex linear channels – HBO Family, ThrillerMax, MovieMax and OuterMax. Cord Cutters News reported that Sino TV and Sino Prime are also listed as shutting down on Monday June 30.

“At Spectrum, we are committed to providing you with exceptional service and want to alert you of changes before they happen,” the notice states. “Effective on or after Aug. 15, 2025, HBO Family, ThrillerMax, MovieMax and OuterMax will cease programming and will no longer be available. You can change the level of your service or disconnect at no cost within 30 days of receiving this notice.”

First launched in 1996, HBO Family offers kid and family-friendly content like Sesame Street, Wonka, His Dark Materials, and Flow. ThrillerMax launched in 1998 as a channel focused on thrillers, mysteries, and horror, its schedule at times featuring titles such as The Imitation Game, It, and Scream. MovieMax, which launched in 2001, offers programming targeting a young adult audience and features a range of genres, including dramas, comedies, and horror. Meanwhile, OuterMax launched in 2001 with a focus on pop culture and genre titles.

While the channels are closing, HBO will continue to offer multiplex channels including HBO2, HBO Signature, HBO Comedy, HBO Zone, and HBO Latino.

Warner Bros. Discovery hasn’t commented on the move, and the exact reasoning for the closures remains unclear. However, it follows news that Warner Bros. Discovery will split the company in half between its Studios & Streaming and Global Networks businesses. It also comes amid major viewership declines for linear premium channels as viewers turn to streaming, with Warner Bros. Discovery outing an increased focus on its own streaming platform Max.

Launched in 2020 under the HBO Max name, Max gives subscribers access to material from Warner Bros. brands, including HBO, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, DC Entertainment, and more. As of June 2025, Max has over 117 million paid subscribers worldwide. The streamer is set to rebrand this summer as HBO Max, a transition that Warner Bros. Discovery president and CEO David Zaslav said reflects “the powerful growth we have seen in our global streaming service… we are bringing back HBO, the brand that represents the highest quality in media, to further accelerate that growth in the years ahead.”