16 channels will go dark in 21 days as the fight for Warner Bros Discovery continues.
Netflix has announced it will acquire Warner Bros Discovery, while Paramount Global is set to close its Paramount Africa operations, resulting in DStv Premium subscribers feeling the pinch more than anyone.
MultiChoice, fresh after its takeover by Canal+ Group, will see 16 channels go dark on 31 December, most of which are only accessible to Premium subscribers.
However, the deal for Netflix to acquire Warner Bros Discovery is still under attack, with Paramount fighting tooth and nail by launching a hostile takeover bid. While the fight for the future of Hollywood is on, Canal+ is doing nothing to at least retain the channels owned by Warner Bros Discovery.
No talks to keep the channels open
Warner Bros Discovery owns 12 channels, Discovery Channel (121); TLC (135); Discovery Family (136); TNT Africa (137); Real Time (155); Discovery ID (171); Food Network (175); HGTV (177); Travel Channel (179); Cartoon Network (301); Cartoonito (302) and CNN International (401).
In a media statement shared with The Citizen, MultiChoice said: “At this stage, no new agreement has been reached between the parties. Should this remain the case, these channels will no longer form part of the DStv lineup from 1 January 2026.”
However, the streaming company assures customers that it will continue to offer richer and diverse content.
“MultiChoice has extensive content partnerships across the world, giving us flexibility and capacity to enhance our packages with fresh content, new channels and new services in the year ahead.”
Four channels, BET Africa, MTV Base, CBS Justice, and CBS Reality, which operated under Paramount Africa, will also be removed from DStv.
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Separation of Warner Bros Discovery
In June 2025, Warner Bros. Discovery announced plans to split its Streaming & Studios and Global Networks divisions into two publicly traded companies.
Warner Bros’ Streaming & Studios excludes channels that are on DStv. These channels will now be under Global Networks divisions, which will include Discovery Global, will include premier entertainment, sports and news television brands around the world including CNN, TNT Sports in the U.S., and Discovery, free-to-air channels across Europe, and digital products such as Discovery+ and Bleacher Report.
While Netflix is only interested in the Streaming & Studios division, Paramount wants the entire pie, including the Global Networks division. However, separation is expected to be completed before either of the companies acquires Warner Bros.
What the separation mean for DStv subscribers
Apart from DStv subscribers losing these channels, does it really hurt? When it comes to these channel agreements, carriage is often a take-it-or-leave-it scenario, especially when a studio slowly bulks up on its offering.
You may secure one channel (say, CNN) and when renewing, the agreement asks you to add another and another at a fee, and a, say, lesser channel to ensure carriage.
However, it is entirely possible that not a single one of the Warner Bros Discovery channels is in the top 20 of channels watched on DStv.
But the question is, what are these channels going to be replaced by, aside from a platter of French options?
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Netflix Warner Bros takeover
While a deadline was loading, Warner Bros asked bidders interested in acquiring the company to put their best foot forward by submitting new, sweetened proposals by Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday.
The interested bidders included Paramount Skydance Corp and Comcast Corp. While most Americans were feasting on turkey for Thanksgiving, Netflix executives and advisers were working to sweeten their proposal, which they succeeded in doing.
A few days after the deadline, Netflix announced it had entered into a definitive agreement under which Netflix would acquire Warner Bros., including its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO.
According to Netflix, the cash and stock transaction is valued at $27.75 (R475) per share, with a total enterprise value of approximately $82.7 billion (R1.4 trillion).
Paramount launches hostile takeover
Days after the announcement of Netflix and Warner Bros merger, Paramount offered $30.00 (R513.30) per share of Warner Bros. However, Paramount made it clear that the offer has an expiry date. “The offer and withdrawal rights will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on January 8, 2026, unless the offer is extended,” reads the proposal.
“We are seeking to enter into a definitive agreement for the acquisition of Warner Bros. by Paramount, and are prepared to engage with Warner Bros. immediately. On December 4, 2025, we made a proposal to acquire Warner Bros. for $30.00 per share pursuant to a merger agreement and related equity and debt financing commitments, which are attached to this Offer to Purchase.
“We are making the Offer because Warner Bros. chose a financially inferior and more uncertain and complex transaction as contemplated by the Netflix Merger Agreement instead of our clearly superior Prior Proposal.
“We are making the Offer directly to the Warner Bros. stockholders and the board of directors of Warner Bros. to ensure that they have the full terms of our Prior Proposal as set out in this Offer to Purchase.”
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