The deal comes as a relief to news junkies, documentary aficionados and kids.
In a dramatic eleventh-hour resolution, DStv owner Canal+ has secured a new, multi-year carriage agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), preserving 12 key channels for millions of subscribers across Africa. This deal, announced just hours before a threatened blackout, averts a significant content crisis but also signals a profound shift in strategy for the newly acquired MultiChoice platform.
The agreement, finalized on Wednesday, underscores the high-stakes nature of content negotiations in the modern media landscape, where legacy pay-TV operators must balance subscriber expectations against soaring licensing costs.
Channel termination
Last month, MultiChoice, now under the control of French media giant Canal+ Group, sent shockwaves through its user base. A push notification warned that 12 flagship channels—including Discovery Channel, CNN International, and Cartoon Network—would be terminated on January 1, 2026, due to an impasse in negotiations with WBD.
This move was more than a simple contract dispute; it was a strategic gambit. By publicly announcing the potential loss, Canal+ likely aimed to demonstrate to WBD the severe subscriber backlash that would ensue, thereby strengthening its negotiating position. It also served as a stark message to customers about the fragile economics of bundling channels in the streaming era.
The subscriber reaction was immediate and fierce. Many demanded proportional reductions in their monthly fees, highlighting a key pain point: consumers often feel they pay for large bundles while only watching a handful of channels. This incident laid bare the inherent tension in the traditional pay-TV model.
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Last-minute deal
The newly announced deal, however, reveals a significantly expanded partnership. Canal+ and WBD have not just renewed a carriage agreement; they have forged a broader strategic alliance. The pact covers “the distribution of HBO Max” alongside the channel renewal, a critical detail that points to the future.
“This expanded agreement… enables Canal+ to strengthen its entertainment, kids, news and documentary channel offering in African markets,” the company stated. The inclusion of HBO Max distribution is the true headline for industry watchers. It suggests Canal+ may be planning to integrate the premium streaming service into its DStv offerings—perhaps as a premium add-on or through a bundled subscription model—creating a more robust hybrid platform to compete directly with global streamers like Netflix and Disney+.
The 12 renewed channels, some offered exclusively on DStv, are:
- Discovery Channel (The cornerstone of factual entertainment)
- CNN International (A vital news source for a global perspective)
- TLC (Lifestyle and reality programming)
- Discovery Family (Family-oriented factual content)
- Real Time (Likely a reference to Boomerang or adult animation)
- TNT Africa (Major Hollywood films and series)
- Food Network (Culinary and lifestyle content)
- HGTV (Home, garden, and renovation programming)
- Investigation Discovery (True-crime documentaries)
- Cartoon Network (The definitive children’s entertainment brand)
- Cartoonito (Preschool-focused animation)
- Travel Channel (Adventure and exploration content)
The 12 channels concerns are:
For subscribers, the immediate relief is palpable. News enthusiasts retain access to CNN International’s global reporting, documentary fans keep the Discovery Channel, and families maintain a cornerstone of children’s programming. The deal stabilizes the core DStv bouquet in the short term.
However, the long-term implications are more strategic. This agreement is Canal+’s first major content deal since acquiring MultiChoice, and it sets a precedent. It demonstrates a commitment to retaining key general entertainment content while simultaneously laying the groundwork for a next-generation offering via HBO Max. The near-crisis and its resolution mark a transition point: DStv is no longer just a satellite TV provider but is becoming an integrated content arm of a global media conglomerate, navigating a path between linear bundles and on-demand streaming.
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