Twist TV Channel Isn't on the Air Anymore — What Happened to It?
Published Jan. 4 2024, 10:15 a.m. ET
It’s always a sad day when we lose something we love, especially when we have no control over it. Of course, the big things in life are the most important, but losing the little things, like our favorite television channels, can still be upsetting. And all of a sudden, many people’s favorite channel, Twist, is nowhere to be found.
Twist sourced most of its programming from NBCUniversal, with shows such as Dance Moms, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Tabatha Takes Over, and more. Twist TV channel fans would tune in regularly to their favorite reality series that they couldn’t watch elsewhere due to cable regulations. But in 2024, it seems to be that Twist is a thing of the past. So what happened to the Twist TV channel?
The Twist TV channel has been taken off the air in all markets.
Slowly but surely, Twist was disappearing from markets across America. By Jan. 2, 2024, the Twist TV channel is nowhere to be seen. This is because it was taken off the air in all markets, according to a statement they made on their website.
“Goodbyes are never easy, but at the end of December Twist is going off the air in all of our markets,” the Twist Family wrote in a statement on their website. “We are truly grateful to all of our viewers for making Twist a wonderful network. Thank you for all of your support.”
Twist first made the announcement in a cute video featuring clips from all of our favorite reality shows to match up with the different stages of grief. “At the end of December, Twist is saying farewell,” the narrator explained. “Grieving the loss of your favorite network won’t be easy. First, there’s denial, then anger, followed by bargaining, a period of depression, but finally, you’ll arrive at acceptance. So from all of us here at Twist, we say, ‘Thank you.’”
The video is interspersed with clips from reality shows exemplifying the different stages of grief, so it’s both a reminder of why we love Twist and a memorial to all the shows that will now be more challenging to watch.
Twist hasn’t announced why it went off the air, but it could have to do with contracting deals.
Owned by Tegna, Inc., Twist is one of the corporation's free channels. It began in 2021, so it only lasted two years before going off the air. Perhaps, it just wasn’t working for Tegna's long-term goals. Also, due to various mergers and acquisitions in recent years, cable OTA (Over-the-Air) channels could be making major shifts.
It seems likely that Twist will be replaced in many markets by Warner Bros Discovery OTA channels instead, such as their new networks, The 365 and Outlaw. However, neither of those channels appeals to the same 24-45-year-old women that Twist targeted, so there will likely be a large shift in viewers.
Twist’s viewers will likely need to turn to the internet to watch their favorite shows if they’re even available online without Twist. Hopefully, Tegna will make it possible!
