VILNIUS — The Baltic states lost their MTV in one fell swoop this month.

Despite the glitz and glamor the channel is known for and the exciting Baltics’ music scene emerging after decades of Soviet repression, all of the local MTV channels in the Baltics stopped broadcasting this month due to the plummeting advertising market. The channels have been replaced this month by the pan-continental MTV Europe programming.

The local channels were run by the Israeli media conglomorate Ananeye, which owned the licensing rights to UAB MTV Baltic from MTV Networks International. MTV Eesti went off the air on November 18, and MTV Lithuania and MTV Latvia followed suit Nov. 23.

Lynne-Mei Lee, communications director for MTV Networks International Emerging Markets, told Baltic Reports that the local channels are “on hiatus” for the foreseeable future.

“MTV Networks International is however committed to MTV viewers in Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia and as such, is broadcasting its pan-European MTV service, MTV European, across the Baltic region as a replacement to ensure fans can continue enjoying MTV,” she added.

Representatives from Ananeye did not respond to media inquiries.