DStv subscribers could lose access to 12 major Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) channels, including CNN, Discovery Channel, TLC, and Cartoon Network, effective January 1, 2026, if MultiChoice and WBD fail to finalise a new distribution agreement.
MultiChoice, now owned by Canal+, informed customers on Monday via text messages that its current carriage deal with WBD is set to expire on December 31, 2025, and negotiations to renew the contract are yet to be concluded.
“While discussions between the parties continue, no agreement has been reached at this stage. If this remains unchanged, several Warner Bros. Discovery channels may no longer be available on DStv from 1 January 2026,” the broadcaster said.
The channels at risk of delisting 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 amid challenges for MultiChoice, which has experienced significant subscriber losses in recent years. The company has shed 2.8 million active linear subscribers over the last two financial years, including 1.2 million in 2025 alone—an 8 percent decline across South Africa and other African markets.
In Nigeria, MultiChoice has lost 1.4 million subscribers over the past two years, largely due to repeated subscription price increases, according to Nairametrics.
Further content losses are expected in the coming months. Paramount Africa will discontinue BET Africa and MTV Base from January 1, 2026, while CBS Reality and CBS Justice will cease operations on December 31, 2025.
