MultiChoice Will Be Removing Qwest TV From The DStv Platform From 14 May, No Word On Showmax

After MultiChoice opted to boot off the underperforming pop centred MTV Hits from Paramount Global in favour of Qwest TV from multi award-winning artist Quincy Jones. It is revealed through an electronic guide that Qwest TV will stop being distributed on DStv from 14th May.

This will be the second TV channel within the year following the closure of 1Max in March. It also joins a list of channels the pay-tv broadcaster failed to accommodate as they undergo a possible takeover by Canal+.

Qwest TV was a jazz infused music channel home to musical icons such as Erykah Badu, Questlove, Salif Keita, Gregory Porter and Fatoumata Diawara. They hosted exclusive concerts and documentaries, and similar to 1Max was also made available to stream on Showmax.

MultiChoice doesn't state why Qwest TV is being removed from DStv after 2 years or whether like 1Max the latter will continue on Showmax. But the usual "it forms parts of ongoing efforts to refresh our local content line-up and optimise the suite of channels on offer".

Best guess would be low viewership as Qwest TV was added as a replacement to MTV Hits both of which were Compact+ (and by default that's Premium). Another reason may have to do with revamping of Showmax or MultiChoice's financial position.

Since last year, MultiChoice has been technically insolvent which led to the closure of numerous channels and sale of NMIS Insurance Services. 

Although Qwest TV goes dark on the DStv platform in the coming weeks, MultiChoice does however offer an alternative lineup. For Qwest TV viewers this would be Trace Gospel and Dumisa with the latter ranging from funk, soul and jazz on DMX.