Canal+ Might Overhaul The Current DStv Structure And Take A Dig At SuperSport

As it is understood, MultiChoice has lost almost 3 million DStv subscribers in the last two years and this is the reason Canal+ is backing out from further price increases. The focus has shifted on returning the company back to its 2023 projections.

Post the takeover, MultiChoice reportedly had 23.5 million 90 day active subscribers and this dropped further by 11% to 18.5 million. In South Africa, the DStv Premium base (including Compact+) saw a drop of 96,000 subscribers.

Since last year, MultiChoice had been exploring the possibility of unbundling SuperSport from the current DStv offering to make the costs flexible. This isn't the first time such experiment occurred and it's not known why they hadn't pursued it earlier on.

In France, Canal+ already offers the Canal+ Sport bouquet which includes sports from rival brands like DAZN and Eurosport. There's even a base package with select sports like UEFA Champions League, Formula 1 and Moto GP.

It is currently priced at €34.99 (R671, 89).

Of course, it's Canal+ Afrique's operations uses the same model as DStv which is why there's a lot of skepticism about a SuperSport only package. Canal+ CEO had dismissed the idea stating that "everyone who has tried this has failed". 

If such exists, it's going to be almost as pricey as your current DStv Premium bouquet. It's less likely they're going to make it cheaper as the current DStv structure helps subsidies the costs.

This new structure MultiChoice has been testing out for DStv will only benefit the non sports fanatics on lower tiered packages.

DStv Premium has been in decline for 10 years so it's a safe bet that MultiChoice will gradually use this offering to phase out that market. The plan for this offering was to have 3 sports package one for football with other sports on another package.

There's plenty of Premium subscribers that don't watch football and MultiChoice would give them the option to exclude it from their offering. They'll be times where you don't feel like watching SuperSport and MultiChoice would make that possible too.

In the end, you as a Premium client can continue catching shows like Landman and Doc on M-Net while watching One Piece on Netflix. You can do all this for under R700 and still have R300 to yourself.

Reminder: Hawaii Five-O Returns For It's 10th And Final Season On eSeries Alongside CSI: Miami And NCIS: Los Angeles

CSI: Miami Season 10 (FINAL)

This is the tenth and final season of the American crime drama series CSI: Miami, which follows a team of forensic investigators in Miami using cutting-edge science and police work to solve complex crimes. It premiered on CBS on September 25, 2011, and concluded on April 8, 2012, consisting of 19 episodes—the shortest season in the show's run. 

The season picks up from the previous cliffhanger, with Horatio Caine and his team pursuing a serial killer while dealing with personal and professional challenges, including betrayals and high-stakes investigations like a hotel murder and a tornado-destroyed crime scene. 

It starred David Caruso as Lt. Horatio Caine, Emily Procter as Calleigh Duquesne, Jonathan Togo as Ryan Wolfe, Rex Linn as Frank Tripp, Eva LaRue as Natalia Boa Vista, Omar Miller as Walter Simmons and Adam Rodriguez as Eric Delko.

Key episodes include the premiere "Countermeasures," where the team tracks a killer, and the finale "Habeas Corpse," wrapping up major storylines. 

CSI: Miami has been airing on the channel at 21:25 since March 2.

 

NCIS: Los Angeles Season 10

This season of the action-packed spin-off series focuses on the elite Office of Special Projects (OSP) team in Los Angeles handling high-stakes undercover operations against threats to national security. It aired on CBS from September 30, 2018, to May 19, 2019, with 24 episodes. 

The plot kicks off with the team recovering from a dangerous mission in Mexico, introducing new allies like retired Navy Admiral Hollace Kilbride, and tackling cases involving stolen military tech, assassins, and international intrigue. 

It starred Chris O'Donnell as G. Callen, LL Cool J as Sam Hanna, Daniela Ruah as Kensi Blye, Eric Christian Olsen as Marty Deeks, Barrett Foa as Eric Beale, Renée Felice Smith as Nell Jones and Linda Hunt as Henrietta "Hetty" Lange.

Standout episodes feature "To Live and Die in Mexico" as the opener and "False Flag" as the finale, emphasizing team dynamics and espionage. 

Season 10 starts March 16 at 20:30 

Hawaii Five-0 Season 10 (FINAL)

The tenth and final season of the rebooted police procedural series centers on an elite task force combating crime in Hawaii, blending action, drama, and island culture. It premiered on CBS on September 27, 2019, and ended on April 3, 2020, with 22 episodes. 

The storyline wraps up long-running arcs, including Steve McGarrett solving his father's case from a decade ago, while handling cases like mob assassinations, tunnel collapses, and Halloween horrors. Former cast members like Masi Oka and Michelle Borth return as guests. 

It stars Alex O'Loughlin as Steve McGarrett, Scott Caan as Danny "Danno" Williams, Ian Anthony Dale as Adam Noshimuri, Meaghan Rath as Tani Rey

Beulah Koale as Junior Reigns, Chi McBride as Lou Grover and Katrina Law as Quinn Liu.

Notable episodes include the premiere "Ua 'eha Ka 'ili I Ka Maka O Ka Ihe" and the series finale "Aloha," providing closure to the team. 

The tenth and final season of Hawaii Five-O starts March 17 at 19:35.

DStv Stream Expected To Merge Into Showmax Replacement App

Canal+ is planning to launch its own streaming service in MultiChoice markets as consumers bid farewell to Showmax. Further content from the service will now be redirected to M-Net, Mzansi Magic and KykNET.

Canal+'s streaming service which might fold under DStv Stream, viewers get to watch live TV and content on demand. They plan is to also utilise other apps such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video with VIU likely to form part of this duo.

This was a feature MultiChoice made exclusive to Explora Ultra and since Canal+ takeover in late 2025, the company is cleaning house. They already scrapped M-Net's contract with HBO as well as that of SuperSport for the Winter Olympics.

In October 2025, Canal+ leadership indicated plans to merge DStv Stream, Showmax, and the Canal+ app into a single "super app" to combine content and reduce costs. As seen already, Showmax with all that Comcast filter is going out the window.

As mentioned, Canal+ will likely use the existing footprint of DStv Stream to expand its streaming ambitions as opposed to starting from scratch. It fits well with the company's structure on having the same content viewed across multiple platforms.

Of course, the problem part of retaining the DStv structure would be costs as Showmax would give you the freshest content for under R99 while on DStv you need at R500. Unless Canal+ has a backup plan consumers might not be persuaded by this.

But then again, MultiChoice was in discussion about possibly unbundling it's DStv offering with SuperSport serving as an add-on or standalone package. This would take the strain off paying R1000 for the full package.

Canal+ had deployed similar mechanisms in France where consumers would pay for select content and with the MultiChoice deal these endeavours are expected to accelerate.

Disney Channel Relaunching In Spain This April In Place Of Disney Junior

Last month, it was reported that Disney XD would be shutting down its remaining international feed in Poland by April. As Disney is looking to launch its preschool oriented brand Disney Jr. with AMC Networks International likely to be a partner.

Now reports are going around that Disney is looking to revive some of linear operations with Disney Channel set to relaunch in Spain. This comes after its reported relaunch in the UK was debunked for Disney Jr. in 2025.

Very odd part about this is the channel is said to be replacing Disney Junior with the preschool brand downsized to a programming block in April. 

Press statement 

The historic Disney youth channel is preparing its return to television in Spain after its disappearance at the beginning of 2025. The company is finalizing a strategic move that will mean the recovery of Disney Channel in the Spanish market, after the brand disappeared from the television landscape.

The channel stopped broadcasting in Spain on January 7, 2025, putting an end to more than two decades of continuous presence in Spanish homes. Its closure marked the end of an era for a channel that had been one of the benchmarks for youth entertainment since its launch in 1998 and that, for years, was also part of the DTT (Digital Terrestrial Television) offering.

Now, the channel is preparing its return through a brand change that will directly affect Disney Jr. The children's channel, currently dedicated to the youngest members of the household, will be transformed into Disney Channel through a rebranding process, thus recovering one of the company's most recognizable brands on television.

The move will not involve the total disappearance of preschool programming. Within the new Disney Channel, a daily window dedicated to Disney Jr. content will be maintained, with series and programs aimed at a preschool audience, while the rest of the schedule will be oriented toward a family and youth audience, following the classic model of the channel.

This change will allow the company to reorganize its television presence in Spain and reposition the Disney Channel brand in the linear offering, at a time when children's consumption continues to combine traditional television and streaming. The channel will be available on all platforms where Disney Jr. currently broadcasts.

The official announcement of the brand change will take place in mid-March, at which time the company will reveal more details about the channel's new stage and its programming. The transformation of the current Disney Jr. into Disney Channel will become effective on April 1, the scheduled date for the channel's relaunch in Spain.

‘Garfield’ Animated Series Ordered By Paramount+ With Lamorne Morris Voicing Famous Orange Cat

Garfield is making a TV return. Paramount+ has picked up a new original 2D-animated series featuring the iconic lasagna-loving orange cat, voiced by Emmy-winning actor-comedian Lamorne Morris (New Girl, Fargo).

Tentatively titled Garfield, the series, from Nickelodeon Animation Studios, is inspired by Jim Davis’ original comic strip and features the chonky feline at his finest, most sarcastic and lackadaisical. Dave H. Johnson (Middlemost Post) and John Trabbic III (SpongeBob SquarePants, Middlemost Post) serve as executive producers.

This pickup of Garfield, which is currently in production, brings to an end the project’s lengthy road to the screen. It started back in 2019 — two Paramount mergers and regimes ago — when Nickelodeon’s then-parent Viacom acquired the IP to the cartoon from owners Paws and announced the development of a new Garfield animated series.

Under the agreement, Paramount predecessor Viacom also took over managing the global merchandising rights to the property. Since then, the Garfield character has been integrated into the Paramount Products & Experiences portfolio across categories spanning apparel, toys, publishing, food, pets and more, including such Nickelodeon game franchises as All-Star Brawl and Kart Racers, in which the Mondays-loathing cat was voiced by Frank Welker.

Meanwhile, the animated series has taken awhile to come together, spending seven years in development and production.

It is the first Garfield animated series since Paws’ 2009 The Garfield Show, which ran for five seasons on Cartoon Network/Boomerang in the U.S. with Welker voicing the title character.

Separately, there is Alcon/Sony’s Garfield 3D CGI animation feature franchise with Chris Pratt as the voice of the tabby cat. The first film, The Garfield Movie, was released in 2024; plans for a sequel, with Pratt reprising his role were announced last year. It is moving forward.

Since its launch in 1978, Davis’ syndicated comic strip has chronicled the life of the eponymous cat, his owner Jon Arbuckle and Odie the dog, as well as various friends. The brand currently counts over 200 million daily comic readers and millions of social media followers.

Garfield marks the latest new series pickup at Paramount+ by the streamer’s new post Skydance-Paramount merger team led by Cindy Holland, Paramount’s Chair of Direct-to-Consumer, and Paramount+‘s Head of Originals Jane Wiseman.

In the kids and family space, it joins the recently ordered animated series The Elephant & Piggie Show! and The Pigeon Show! Starring the Pigeon from Mo Willems’ Hidden Pigeon Company.

From Nickelodeon Animated Studios, Paramount+ has the upcoming film The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender, originally targeted for a theatrical release, and the 2D series Avatar: Seven Havens, ordered by Nickelodeon a year ago, both with Nick Animation banner Avatar Studios.

On the live-action side, over the last few months, Paramount+ has ordered legal drama Discretion starring Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning, as well as limited series 9/12, headlined by Jeremy Strong, and Fear Not, starring Anne Hathaway. The streamer also formalized the pickup of Tulsa King spinoff Frisco King, toplined by Samuel L. Jackson, which had been in the works as NOLA King.

While original drama series is Paramount+’s focus on the live-action side, it plans to be opportunistic in unscripted, starting with the pickup this week of dating show Making Love. The streamer also has the upcoming four-part docuseries Made for March designed to complement CBS and Paramount+’s 2026 March Madness basketball coverage.

Morris has a history sharing the screen with a feline; his character on New Girl Winston Bishop was known for his close bond with his beloved cat, Ferguson.

An Emmy for his role on Season 5 of FX’s Fargo, Morris will next be seen starring opposite Nicolas Cage in Prime Video’s Spider-Noir and is currently in production on Jumanji 4. He also co-hosts The Lamorning After podcast with Kyle Shevrin and the New Girl rewatch podcast, The Mess Around, with former castmate Hannah Simone. Morris is repped by CAA, Entertainment 360 and Myman Greenspan.