DStv subscribers across Africa may soon lose access to CNN International and several other popular channels as MultiChoice Group has warned that its carriage agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is on the brink of expiring without renewal.
In an on-screen notice and email circulated on Monday, MultiChoice cautioned subscribers that 12 WBD-owned channels, led by global news giant CNN International, could be removed from all DStv bouquets from 1 January 2026, if ongoing negotiations fail to produce a new distribution deal.
“The distribution agreement between MultiChoice and Warner Bros Discovery is scheduled to end on 31 December 2025,” the company wrote.
“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, TLC, Discovery Family, Real Time, TNT Africa, Food Network, HGTV, Investigation Discovery, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, and Travel Channel.
The potential exit of these networks, some of the most recognisable brands in news, kids’ programming, lifestyle and factual entertainment, would mark one of DStv’s biggest content shake-ups in years.
Despite the warning, MultiChoice assured customers that their entertainment experience would remain robust, hinting at a major refresh of its 2026 channel line-up.
The broadcaster said it is “preparing to further strengthen and enrich its line-up with new content, channels and services” regardless of the outcome of the WBD negotiations.
The possible removal will affect all DStv customers across Africa, although subscribers to MultiChoice’s streaming platform, Showmax, will not be impacted.
The development comes as MultiChoice’s parent company, French media group Groupe Canal+, intensifies efforts to reverse DStv’s declining subscriber numbers.
Canal+ recently told investors that MultiChoice recorded a year-on-year loss of 1.2 million subscribers to March 2025, worsening to 1.4 million by June. The company plans to drive recovery through aggressive cost optimisation and leveraging technology synergies across its African footprint.
Amid the uncertainty, MultiChoice reassured subscribers that their “viewing experience remains rich, diverse and enjoyable,” adding that they will continue to enjoy “strong alternative channels across every genre,” even if the WBD channels disappear from the platform.
