DStv To Lose CNN, 11 Major Warner Bros. Discovery Channels by January 2026
DStv subscribers risk losing access to 12 major Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) channels—including CNN, Discovery Channel, and Cartoon Network—from January 1, 2026, if MultiChoice and WBD do not finalize a new broadcast agreement. The current carriage deal ends on December 31, 2025.
MultiChoice, now fully owned by Canal+, alerted customers in an email on Monday, warning that ongoing negotiations have yet to produce an agreement. “If talks remain unresolved, several Warner Bros. Discovery channels may no longer be offered on DStv from 1 January 2026,” the company stated.
The channels potentially affected include Discovery Channel, CNN International, TLC, Discovery Family, Real Time, TNT Africa, Food Network, HGTV, Investigation Discovery, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, and Travel Channel—signaling a major shake-up for DStv’s entertainment lineup.
MultiChoice battles declining viewership
This development arrives at a difficult moment for MultiChoice, which has faced sustained subscriber losses and mounting financial strain. Over the past two financial years, the company shed 2.8 million active linear subscribers, including 1.2 million in 2025 alone—a year-on-year decline of 8% split evenly between South Africa and the broader African market.
In Nigeria especially, subscription hikes contributed to a loss of 1.4 million customers within two years, as earlier reported by Nairametrics. The platform is also bracing for additional content losses: Paramount Africa will discontinue BET Africa and MTV Base from January 1, 2026, while CBS Reality and CBS Justice will cease operations by the end of 2025.
A global content market in transition
The uncertainty comes as Warner Bros. Discovery undergoes major restructuring and reportedly draws acquisition interest from several media giants, including Paramount, Comcast, and Netflix. Reports suggest Comcast and Netflix are eyeing primarily the studio and streaming assets, while Paramount is looking to acquire the entire business.
Meanwhile, Canal+, MultiChoice’s new parent company, is recalibrating DStv’s strategy for Africa’s evolving streaming landscape. The group is focusing on pricing adjustments and expanding premium football broadcasting rights. According to industry observers, losing WBD channels could significantly weaken DStv’s non-sports programming.
What to know about the Canal+ takeover
Canal+ completed its landmark $3 billion acquisition of MultiChoice in September, creating a combined media powerhouse serving more than 40 million subscribers across nearly 70 countries in Africa, Europe, and Asia. The integrated entity employs around 17,000 people.
Canal+ plans to reveal a full strategic roadmap in early 2026, outlining operational synergies and future investments. The company has emphasized that the merged group will prioritize local content development, sports rights, and digital innovation—key pillars in its ambition to dominate both traditional pay-TV and the rapidly growing streaming sector. The partnership also strengthens its ability to leverage MultiChoice’s expertise in African markets, especially as uncertainty looms over the DStv Warner Bros Discovery channel removal and its potential impact on subscribers.
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