Canal+ Is Looking To Align MultiChoice's Business With International Vendors

Last year, Canal+ and Warner Bros. Discovery extended their carriage agreement for the channels viewed on MultiChoice platforms. This deal was also expanded to include Warner Bros. Discovery's existing channels in Canal+ territories in Europe.

After Canal+ managed to complete it's acquisition of MultiChoice, plans were put in motion to align some of MultiChoice's business with that of its owners. This included agreements MultiChoice currently has with BBC Studios, NBCUniversal and Disney.

With them now serving over 40 million subscribers in 70 countries, there's really no point in them having to handle contracts separately. When with a combined scale they can just offer one contract and try to bring down the costs.

As some people recall Canal+ was able to call Warner Bros. Discovery bluff by having a last minute agreement put in place for MultiChoice territories.

The reality is that MultiChoice offers the most channels so basically they would serve as Warner Bros. Discovery's largest client in Africa. Despite already having agreements with other players, most of their revenue would reside with MultiChoice.

Canal+ also stood the chance to lose more DStv subscribers as Warner Bros. Discovery offers the top channels on DStv. While they expressed willingness to replace these channels there's no such thing as a like for like alternative.

Warner Bros. Discovery had expressed willingness to recover from the lost income if these channels went dark on MultiChoice platforms. There's really no recovery when MultiChoice competitors are willing to offer the bare minimum of DStv. 

Canal+ Might Look To Strengthen The Bond Between VIU And MultiChoice

With over 45 million monthly active users and 15 million subscribers, Viu ranks amongst the top 3 SVOD/AVOD players in Southeast Asia in terms of revenues. It is operated by VIU International Ltd., a joint venture between PCCW and Canal+.

VIU serves as one of few broadcasters in the streaming regime to curate local content. Aside from licensing shows like Uzalo and Skeem Saam from the SABC, they've also been dubbing various international shows to Zulu and Afrikaans.

They've been creating a lot of buzz for their Zulu dubbed kdramas with shows like Iqhawe Labafundi (High School: Return of a Gangster) and Intengo Yothando (Pear Perfect).

Alongside Canal+'s crown jewel MultiChoice, they've been bulking up on Afrikaans dubbed shows with Landman, Die Stokman and Eerste Liefde Laaste.

As Canal+ continues to build up it's stake in VIU and make further enhancements to MultiChoice. One of the likely outcomes awaiting the two is a potential partnership.

Showmax is going dark soon and this gives VIU ample room to license some of its content. Although, Canal+ plans to launch a dedicated app don't be surprised if VIU alongside DStv Stream were to bulked up on this app.

Same goes for the content, Canal+ Afrique benefitted from the MultiChoice tie-up as they got access to M-Net's local archives and SuperSport. MultiChoice had exclusive agreements with certain suppliers which extended to include them.

Canal+'s stake in VIU is sitting at 37,2% and when they do get it to 51% or before that. Don't be surprised if we got to see these dubbed shows from VIU on (a) separate DStv channel(s) if not Mzansi Magic and KykNET.

MultiChoice had been bulking up on the dubbed stuff with the launch of Landman on KykNET. Prior to this was the rollout of Star Khanya with the future rollout of Zee Dunia in East Africa.

According to some insiders, MultiChoice has more dubbed content they're planning to rollout on DStv and since last year they've been talks about allocating new channels. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if VIU's scraps were one of them.

MultiChoice did away with the English feed of TLNovelas and interesting how the remaining dubbed channels all have to appeal to the local consumer. You have Telemundo (English), Zee World (Sesotho and Swahili) and Star Khanya (Zulu).

Dragon Striker, Brand New Series Coming Soon To Disney Channel Across Italy, Spain And Africa

Set in the world of Asteria, Dragon Striker centers on a high-stakes magical sport called Gorotama—a five-a-side, soccer-like game enhanced with fantastical powers. The story follows Key, a 12-year-old farm boy who dreams of playing Gorotama at the elite school Kal Asterock, despite lacking magical abilities. That changes when he discovers a hidden connection to his late mother, a legendary champion known as the Dragon Striker.

Key’s journey introduces him to Ssyelle, a gifted player who can slow time and becomes a core part of the newly reformed team known as the Knights. Other teammates include Milo (who controls jelly), Oddward (who can duplicate himself), and the mysterious Ameline (who drains tamas). Standing in their way are rival squads like the Bards, Roses, Shadows, and the fearsome Dragons, led by Key’s new rival, Ragno.

The series, created and produced by Sylvain Dos Santos, will be directed by Charles Lefebvre from screenplays by writer Paul McKeown. Cyber Group Studios and La Chouette Compagnie produce for Disney EMEA.

Charles Lefebvre, the show's co-creator who also co-founded Chouette after working at its parent La Chouette Co., had worked on anime such as “My Hero Academia” and “One Piece”.

Originally set for a release in 2024, a preview of the new series was made available at the 2025 Annecy Animation Festival in France. The 22 20-minute episodes, will now on Disney Channel feeds across Spain, Italy and Africa from June 10th, and will also be streaming on Disney+.

Canal+ Announces JSE Listing, Unveils More Details

French media conglomerate and the MultiChoice Group’s new owner, Groupe Canal+, announced that its shares will begin trading on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on 3 June 2026.

“The JSE has granted approval to Canal+ for a secondary listing, by way of introduction using the fast-track listing process, of all its issued ordinary shares,” Canal+ stated.

Canal+ said it has 991,959,494 ordinary shares in issue with a nominal value of €0.25 (R4.84) each. They will launch on the JSE’s main board under the abbreviated name “CANALPLUS”, share code “CNP”.

“The Financial Surveillance Department of the South African Reserve Bank has approved the fast-track secondary inward listing of CANAL+ on the JSE, which will be classified as ‘domestic’.”

This comes five months after MultiChoice delisted from the stock exchange on 10 December 2025. It had been on the JSE for 6 years and 9 months, and was delisted following its acquisition by Canal+.

Canal+ stated that it will be the first French company to trade its shares on the South African stock exchange.

The French media giant confirmed that it would pursue a secondary listing on the JSE in October 2025. Groupe Canal+ is already listed on the London Stock Exchange.

The secondary listing was part of the undertakings Canal+ made to the Competition Commission when it sought approval to acquire MultiChoice.

The London Stock Exchange, where Canal+’s primary listing will remain, offers a “Secondary Listing” section that is self-regulated. It is designed for firms that wish to add a foreign listing.

Canal+ said a secondary listing on the JSE will preserve South African investor access and market liquidity.

The company had committed to a nine-month timeframe for its secondary listing, aiming to have its shares trading on the JSE before September 2026.

The DStv owner was originally owned by Naspers, but the MultiChoice Group was spun out into a separate listing in February 2019, with an opening share price of R95 per share.

Naspers said the unbundling aimed to unlock value for shareholders, while simultaneously creating an empowered, top-40 JSE-listed African entertainment company.

“Listing and unbundling MultiChoice Group is intended to create a leading entertainment business listed on the JSE that is profitable and cash generative,” former MultiChoice chairman Imtiaz Patel said.

“We offer an unmatched selection of local and original content, as well as a world-class sports offering.”

DStv And Openview Channel Changes From 01 January 2025 To 31 March 2026

Continuing onto 2024, MultiChoice hasn't been productive in new channel allocations we can only assume this had to do with the loss in DStv consumers. With Canal+ that takeover in 2025 is working on trying to reverse these losses.

We're going to divulge on the number of developments to have occured between 1 January 2025 to 31 March 2026.

As we've previously mentioned, MultiChoice hasn't done much in terms of additions with Star Khanya that made its 2025 slate followed by Base Pulse in 2026. There was also the rebrand of E! to Bravo and Trace Africa to Trace Ngoma.

With Canal+ taking the heels they do promise new content for 2026 so we'll see what happens. But to a lot of people that worked around this industry, 2025 for MultiChoice was kind of sloppy but an improved from the bloodbath of 2024.

MultiChoice lost about 12-14 within the 2024 period and only got 2 to 3 new channels added. Last year, these cuts only affected 7 channels including 1Max, Qwest TV, CBS Reality, CBS Justice, BET, MTV Base and TLNovelas.

These numbers could have skyrocketed to 19 channels if Canal+ and Warner Bros. Discovery couldn't come to an agreement to continue carriage of Discovery Channel, TLC and Cartoon Network.

Aside from this, consumers got to see the expansion on existing DStv services with Compact and Access that got 5 channels and Family that got 6 channels. These would include DreamWorks Channel, History, Comedy Central and Zee World.

eMedia Investments had also moved at a slow pace in terms of additions on Openview but in their case it's understandable considering there's no monthly fees. In 2024, consumers welcomed two channels to their offering, Sporty TV and Star Khanya.

It was also a disastrous and embarrassing year as it's failed pay-tv venture Ultraview was silently discontinued. To top it off, eMedia Investments opted to keep the closure details of this offering under wraps from the media.

Unlike OUTtv and FUSE whose offering formed part of eVOD, eMedia Investments didn't retain any of the content from Star Select and Zee Family. The only way anyone can view the lineup would be getting the DStv Indian package.

JioStar and Zee Entertainment Enterprises that serve as the distributors of Star Select and Zee Family also distribute Star Life and Zee One on Openview. So it's likely that some of the content will resurface dubbed on these channels.

Below is a summary of the changes 

DStv

New channels/rebrands

Star Khanya

Bravo (formerly E!)

Trace Ngoma (formerly Trace Africa)

Base Pulse 

Closure

1Max

Qwest TV

CBS Reality

CBS Justice

BET 

MTV Base

TLNovelas 

Expansion

SuperSport Action - from DStv Compact+ to Compact 

History - from DStv Compact+ to Compact 

Curiosity Channel - from DStv Compact+ to Compact 

CBS Justice - from DStv Compact+ to Compact 

Africa Magic Showcase - from DStv Compact+ to Compact 

Disney Channel - from DStv Compact to Family

HGTV - from DStv Compact to Family 

Comedy Central - from DStv Compact to Family 

Nickelodeon - from DStv Compact to Family 

Nick Jr. - from DStv Compact to Family 

DreamWorks Channel - from DStv Compact to Family 

Nicktoons - from DStv Family to Access 

Zee World - from DStv Family to Access 

SuperSport Schools - from DStv Access to Easyview 

WWE - from DStv Family to DStv Access

Trace Ngoma - from DStv Family to DStv Access

Trace Gospel - from DStv Family to DStv Access

Openview

New channel

Sporty TV

Star Khanya

Closure 

Star Select

Zee Family