DStv subscribers could lose 12 major Warner Bros. Discovery channels, including CNN, Discovery Channel and Cartoon Network, from January 1, 2026, if MultiChoice and WBD fail to reach a new distribution agreement.
MultiChoice, now owned by Canal+, alerted customers in an email on Monday, stating that its current carriage deal with WBD expires on December 31, 2025.
“While discussions between the parties continue, no agreement has been reached at this stage. If this remains unchanged, a number of Warner Bros. Discovery channels may no longer be available on DStv from 1 January 2026,” the company said.
The 12 channels at risk include Discovery Channel, CNN International, TLC, Discovery Family, Real Time, TNT Africa, Food Network, HGTV, Investigation Discovery, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito and Travel Channel.
The warning comes as MultiChoice faces declining subscriber numbers and mounting financial pressure.
The company has shed 2.8 million active linear subscribers over the past two financial years, including 1.2 million in 2025 alone — an 8% year-on-year drop split evenly between South Africa and the rest of Africa.
In Nigeria, Nairametrics reported that MultiChoice has lost 1.4 million customers over the same period, driven largely by repeated subscription price increases.
Meanwhile, the platform is poised to lose even more content. Paramount Africa will pull BET Africa and MTV Base from DStv on January 1, 2026, while CBS Reality and CBS Justice are set to go off-air on December 31, 2025.
Warner Bros. Discovery is also undergoing major strategic shifts and is reportedly drawing acquisition interest from several potential buyers, including Paramount, Comcast and Netflix.
According to Bloomberg, Comcast and Netflix are eyeing only the studio and streaming assets, while Paramount is reportedly interested in acquiring the entire company, channels included.
At the same time, Canal+, MultiChoice’s new parent company, is repositioning DStv for Africa’s streaming wars through price adjustments and a renewed push for premium football rights.
Industry analysts warn that the potential loss of WBD channels could further erode DStv’s non-sports content lineup.
French media giant Canal+ finalised its $3 billion acquisition of MultiChoice Group in September, sealing a landmark deal that reshaped the African pay-TV landscape.
The merger creates a combined media powerhouse with more than 40 million subscribers across nearly 70 countries in Africa, Europe and Asia.
