MultiChoice has announced that DStv subscribers may lose access to CNN and 11 other Warner Bros. Discovery channels from January 1, 2026, if ongoing negotiations with the American media company fail to produce a new broadcast agreement.

The pay-TV giant issued the notice in a message sent to customers on Monday, explaining that the current carriage deal with Warner Bros. Discovery will officially expire on December 31, 2025.

According to MultiChoice, “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 channels at risk include CNN International, Discovery Channel, TNT Africa, TLC, Food Network, Cartoon Network, HGTV, Cartoonito, Investigation Discovery, Real Time, Discovery Family and Travel Channel.

This development comes at a period for MultiChoice, which has been battling subscriber losses across Africa.

Recent data shows the company lost 2.8 million active users in two financial years.

In 2025 alone, DStv recorded a further decline of 1.2 million subscribers, split evenly between South Africa and its other African markets.

In Nigeria, Guardian Nigeria reported that MultiChoice shed 1.4 million customers in two years as households struggled with subscription increases and rising living costs.

Content cuts may deepen the platform’s challenges. Paramount Africa has already announced that BET Africa and MTV Base will stop airing on DStv from January 1, 2026, while CBS Reality and CBS Justice will shut down on December 31, 2025.

The wider shake-up reflects major shifts within the global media industry. Warner Bros. Discovery is currently restructuring its business and is reportedly attracting takeover interest from Paramount, Comcast and Netflix.

Bloomberg reports that while Paramount wants the entire company, Comcast and Netflix are mainly interested in studio and streaming assets.

Meanwhile, MultiChoice’s new parent company, Canal+, is trying to reposition DStv for Africa’s streaming competition through price adjustments, local content investment and a fresh push for premium football rights.

The Canal+–MultiChoice group now serves more than 40 million subscribers across nearly 70 countries in Africa, Europe and Asia.

The company employs about 17,000 people worldwide and is expected to release a full strategic update in early 2026.

Industry experts say that losing CNN and other Warner Bros. Discovery channels could weaken DStv’s entertainment and documentary catalogue, leaving sports broadcasting as its strongest appeal. (The Guardian)

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