{"id":846974,"date":"2026-01-03T07:58:49","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T05:58:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=846974"},"modified":"2026-01-03T07:59:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T05:59:10","slug":"last-minute-deal-saves-dstv-channels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/technology\/846974\/last-minute-deal-saves-dstv-channels\/","title":{"rendered":"Last-minute deal saves DStv channels"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

MultiChoice owner Canal+ signed a multi-year and multi-territory agreement, which saved DStv from losing many prominent channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In December 2025, MultiChoice warned its DStv subscribers that it may have to cut twelve Warner Bros. Discovery channels from its bouquets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It explained that negotiations over terms and pricing for the content, which have been ongoing for several months, had deadlocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless the impasse could be resolved, MultiChoice would have been forced to remove the twelve channels from DStv on 1 January 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The channels include Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, CNN, Discovery, Discovery Family, Food Network, HGTV, Investigation Discovery, Real Time, TLC, TNT Africa, and Travel Channel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The deal also covered the licensing of movies and series for distribution on MultiChoice\u2019s M-Net channels, DStv Stream, and Showmax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That includes hundreds of highly popular titles from the premium television network and service HBO, which have been a major selling point for MultiChoice\u2019s services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier in December, Showmax\u2019s Best of HBO page had over 190 titles, including hit series like The Last of Us, Dune: Prophecy, and House of the Dragon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other well-known franchises in the Warner Bros. Discovery stable include Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and the DC Comics Universe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The situation was complicated by Warner Bros. Discovery being in the middle of a tug of war between Netflix and Paramount Skydance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The world\u2019s biggest streaming service and the Ellison family-owned broadcasting giant both want to buy the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the good news for DStv subscribers is that Canal+, which owns MultiChoice, has reached a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, which saved the channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deal between Canal+ and Warner Bros. Discovery<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The day before the deal was set to expire, Canal+ and Warner Bros. Discovery signed a new multi-year and multi-territory agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This expanded agreement covers both the distribution of HBO Max and the renewal of several Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels across Africa and Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The agreement includes the renewal of the distribution of 12 Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels across MultiChoice Group territories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n