HBO, Cinemax stop broadcasting in Vietnam

HBO logo on a paid TV service. Photo by VnExpress/Luu Quy

"As of 12 a.m. on Mar. 1, HBO will cease broadcasting as part of the HBO Go package across the Asia-Pacific region," read a notification displayed when users accessed the HBO channel on the TV360 platform.

Subscribers to paid TV services such as FPT Play, TV360 and MyTV reported losing access to both channels.

Some platforms removed them entirely, while others kept them listed but inaccessible.

Vietnamese digital TV providers and HBO's authorized distributor, MSky, had announced months earlier that the channels would stop broadcasting at the end of February.

An MSky representative told VnExpress on Monday that the move was made at HBO's request to standardize its HBO Go service globally. "Cable TV and IPTV users can still access these channels as usual," the representative said.

HBO and Cinemax, known for their movie content, had been available in Vietnam for years before being bundled into the HBO Go package when it was launched.

Offered through platforms such as FPT Play, VieON and TV360, HBO Go provides live channels and an on-demand library.

Analysts believe the removal will have little impact as streaming services dominate movie consumption.

Some speculate the move is part of HBO’s strategy to introduce its Max platform in Vietnam to compete with Netflix.

Several platforms have announced plans to expand HBO Go’s content library to offset the loss of the channels.

Since early 2025 several networks have withdrawn or ceased broadcasting in Vietnam, including Animax and several VTC channels.

In January some Vietnam Television channels were temporarily removed from certain platforms due to contract disputes but were later reinstated.