By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
DStv subscribers are bracing for a major shake-up as Discovery Channel and CNN International head a list of twelve channels set to disappear from the platform on 31 December 2025.
MultiChoice confirmed the impending removals after notifying customers through the DStv app on Tuesday evening, 2 December.
The push notification listed the affected channels: Discovery Channel, TLC Africa, Discovery Family, Real Time, TNT Africa, Food Network, Travel Channel, Investigation Discovery (ID), Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, and CNN International. Although not included in the alert, HGTV has been independently confirmed as part of the same group.
The decision follows a breakdown in carriage negotiations between MultiChoice and Warner Bros.
Discovery (WBD), which owns all twelve channels. Their current contract expires on 31 December, and talks have stalled.
The move comes shortly after French media conglomerate Canal+ Group completed its takeover of MultiChoice in September 2025.
The new owners have made it clear they aim to reduce costs across the business, and the WBD channel bundle has emerged as a key area for cuts.
Industry observers say Canal+ believes the existing deal is no longer worth the price, especially given that the company carries fewer WBD channels in its own home market.
Analysts suggest the group has recalculated the value of the package from scratch.
As media commentator Hilton Tarrant noted, “The new owners would’ve done their sums and calculated very clearly and neatly exactly how much they were prepared to pay to Warner, and for what.”
The standoff highlights a long-standing industry practice known as channel bundling, where broadcasters must purchase an entire suite of channels even the less-watched ones to access the most popular options.
For DStv customers particularly Premium subscribers paying over R1,000 a month the loss of Discovery, CNN, and other well-known brands represents a significant reduction in content.
MultiChoice has said a last-minute deal with Warner Bros. Discovery remains possible, but time is running out.
The timing coincides with broader instability at WBD, which put itself up for sale earlier in 2025.
According to Bloomberg reporting, major media players including Paramount, Comcast, and Netflix have shown interest in acquiring parts of the business. Any eventual sale could have ripple effects on channel availability worldwide.
For now, unless negotiations revive, DStv will enter 2026 without some of its most recognisable international channels.