DSTV says may remove CNN, Discovery, Food Network, Cartoon Network in 2026

MultiChoice has warned DStv subscribers that 12 Warner Bros. Discovery channels, including CNN International, Discovery Channel, TLC, HGTV, and Cartoon Network, could be removed from its platform from 1 January 2026 if a new distribution deal isn’t reached.

In a message to customers, MultiChoice said: “The distribution agreement between MultiChoice and Warner Bros. Discovery is scheduled to end on 31 December 2025. 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 affected channels include Discovery Channel, CNN International, TLC, Discovery Family, Real Time, TNT Africa, Food Network, HGTV, Investigation Discovery, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, and Travel Channel.

This comes amid rising apathy among Nigerian viewers toward DStv, driven by repeated subscription price increases that have eroded its subscriber numbers.

Over the past two financial years, MultiChoice lost 2.8 million linear subscribers, with 1.2 million lost in 2025 alone—an 8% year-on-year decline spread across South Africa and the rest of Africa.

Many customers have cited rising subscription costs as a key reason for leaving the platform, particularly Premium subscribers who pay ₦44,500 per month a month.

Canal+, which recently took over MultiChoice, has signaled a focus on cost reduction and platform restructuring. “We are preparing to further strengthen and enrich our line-up in 2026 with new content, channels and services,” MultiChoice added.

Warner Bros. Discovery, the company behind the channels, is reportedly exploring new buyers, with Paramount, Comcast, and Netflix among potential suitors.

The outcome of these negotiations will test DStv’s ability to balance content costs with subscriber expectations at a time when streaming alternatives are increasingly just a smart TV away.

For many viewers, the possible loss of CNN, Discovery, and other lifestyle and documentary channels could prompt them to reconsider their subscription choices.