Dark Days for DStv: 12 Major Channels Vanish on New Year's Eve
Deadline: 31 December 2025 | New Owner: Canal+ Group
DStv subscribers are facing a massive content shake-up. Following the takeover by French media conglomerate Canal+ Group in September 2025, MultiChoice has confirmed that a dozen popular channels—including CNN International and Cartoon Network—will be pulled from the platform as the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve.
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| Dark Days for DSTV |
The 12 Channels Leaving DStv
A push notification sent to subscribers on Tuesday confirmed the following channels will go dark.
LIFESTYLE & REALITY
Discovery & Food
Discovery Channel (121), TLC (135), Food Network (175), HGTV (177), Travel Channel (179)
KIDS & FAMILY
Cartoons
Cartoon Network (301), Cartoonito (302), Discovery Family (136)
NEWS & MOVIES
Information & Drama
CNN International (401), TNT Africa (137), Investigation Discovery (171)
Canal+ Swings the Axe
The primary driver is cost reduction. The new French owners, Canal+, have analyzed the value of the Warner Bros Discovery bundle and believe DStv is paying too much for channels that are not widely watched.
MultiChoice announced an impasse in negotiations. Canal+ is effectively calling Warner Bros Discovery's bluff. In the French market, Canal+ carries fewer Warner channels than DStv does, and they are applying that same lean logic here.
"The new owners would’ve calculated exactly how much they were prepared to pay... and for what." — Hilton Tarrant.
What This Means For You
Premium Value Erosion
For Premium subscribers (paying over R1,000/month or significant USD amounts in Zimbabwe), the service value is dropping significantly.
The loss of CNN removes a key global news source, while the removal of Cartoon Network strikes a blow to family entertainment. However, there is a slim possibility of a last-minute deal before the 31 December deadline, though the app notification makes this look unlikely.
The Bigger Picture
This local dispute is happening against a backdrop of global uncertainty. Warner Bros Discovery put itself up for sale in 2025. Giants like Paramount, Comcast, and Netflix are circling, which could further fragment where this content lives in the future.
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