DStv subscribers may soon be unable to watch 12 major Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) channels — including CNN, Discovery Channel, and Cartoon Network — if MultiChoice and WBD fail to reach a new distribution agreement before the end of the year.
The pay-TV giant, now under Canal+ ownership, issued the warning in an email to customers on Monday, revealing that the current carriage deal will expire 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,” MultiChoice said.
The 12 channels at risk are:
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Discovery Channel
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CNN International
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TLC
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Discovery Family
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Real Time
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TNT Africa
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Food Network
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HGTV
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Investigation Discovery
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Cartoon Network
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Cartoonito
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Travel Channel
The notice comes as MultiChoice continues to struggle with declining subscriber numbers and growing financial challenges. Over the last two financial years, the company has lost 2.8 million active linear subscribers, including 1.2 million in 2025 alone — an 8% year-on-year decline, evenly split between South Africa and the rest of the continent.
In Nigeria, MultiChoice’s subscriber base has also been shrinking. According to Nairametrics, the platform has lost 1.4 million Nigerian customers in the last two years, driven largely by repeated subscription price hikes.
More content losses are expected in the coming months. Paramount Africa is set to discontinue BET Africa and MTV Base from January 1, 2026, while CBS Reality and CBS Justice will go off air on December 31, 2025.
If negotiations between MultiChoice and Warner Bros. Discovery fail, DStv viewers could face one of the biggest content losses in the platform’s history.
