DStv subscribers may lose CNN, discovery channels from January 2026
DStv customers may lose access to 12 significant Warner Bros. Discovery channels, including CNN, Discovery Channel, and Cartoon Network, starting January 1, 2026, if MultiChoice and WBD do not finalize a new distribution agreement.
MultiChoice, which is now owned by Canal+, informed its clients in an email on Monday that the existing carriage deal with WBD will end on December 31, 2025.
“Although discussions are ongoing between the two parties, no agreement has been made at this point. If this situation does not change, several Warner Bros. Discovery channels may no longer be available on DStv starting January 1, 2026,” the company stated.
The 12 channels that might be affected include Discovery Channel, CNN International, TLC, Discovery Family, Real Time, TNT Africa, Food Network, HGTV, Investigation Discovery, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, and Travel Channel.
This warning comes as MultiChoice grapples with declining subscriber numbers and increasing financial strain.
Over the last two financial years, the company has lost 2.8 million active linear subscribers, with 1.2 million departures occurring in 2025 alone, representing an 8% year-on-year decline split evenly between South Africa and the rest of Africa.
In Nigeria, Nairametrics noted that MultiChoice has experienced a loss of 1.4 million customers during this same timeframe, largely due to repeated increases in subscription costs.
Additionally, the platform is set to lose more content as Paramount Africa plans to remove BET Africa and MTV Base from DStv on January 1, 2026, while CBS Reality and CBS Justice are scheduled to go off-air on December 31, 2025.
Warner Bros. Discovery is also undergoing significant strategic changes and is reportedly attracting acquisition interest from various potential buyers, including Paramount, Comcast, and Netflix.
Bloomberg reports that Comcast and Netflix are focusing on acquiring only the studio and streaming assets, whereas Paramount is said to be interested in acquiring the complete company, channels included.
Simultaneously, Canal+, the new parent company of MultiChoice, is restructuring DStv for the competitive streaming environment in Africa through price modifications and a renewed focus on securing premium football rights.
Industry experts caution that the loss of WBD channels could further diminish DStv’s non-sports content offerings.
French media conglomerate Canal+ completed its $3 billion acquisition of MultiChoice Group in September, marking a pivotal deal that transformed the African pay-TV landscape.
This merger creates a powerful media entity with over 40 million subscribers across nearly 70 countries in Africa, Europe, and Asia.
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