This year's CMT Awards have been put on pause in the midst of parent company Paramount's upcoming merge with David Ellison’s Skydance Media.

CMT is among the Paramount divisions hit with extensive layoffs in 2024. Meanwhile, cable networks like Nickelodeon and MTV are reportedly not priorities for Skydance. Amid the company’s competitors shedding or restructuring cable networks, it’s possible those brands will be dropped from the Paramount portfolio altogether.

"We look to reimagine and optimize our events slate going forward," reads a staff memo obtained by THR. "Our world-class events remain a key component of Paramount’s music offering."

Paramount has pressed pause on several major events, including the 2025 Country Music Television (CMT) Awards. This change came as Paramount Global anticipates a forthcoming merger with Skydance Media.

“We are pausing a few events for 2025, as we look to reimagine and optimize our events slate going forward. These include the MTV EMAs, MTV MIAWs, Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards in Mexico, and CMT Music Awards,” the internal memo read in part. The awards show moved from Nashville to Austin in 2023 and returned in 2024.

MTV and CMT will put some of their major awards shows on ice this year as parent company Paramount Global prepares for a major corporate merger, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Affected shows include the MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) and the CMT Music Awards,