Canal+ Inks New Agreement With Warner Bros. Discovery For It's Operations In Europe And That Of MultiChoice In Africa

MultiChoice owner Canal+ and Warner Bros. Discovery have announced that they have signed a multi-year, multi-territory agreement.

“This expanded agreement covers both the distribution of HBO Max and the renewal of several Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels across numerous regions in Africa and Europe,” Canal+ stated.

This resolves the uncertainty over 12 DStv channels that would have gone dark at midnight, had Canal+ not secured a renewed channel carriage agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery.

Home Box Office (HBO), a longtime partner of MultiChoice and the inspiration for the original M-Net channel, is part of Warner Bros. Streaming.

HBO is home to hit franchises and shows such as Game of Thrones, Band of Brothers, The Sopranos, The Wire, Sex and the City, Veep, Six Feet Under, True Blood, and The Last of Us.

Warner Bros. Discovery also owns DC Comics, the film rights to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and New Line Cinema, which is known for its Lord of the Rings movies.

The company is currently in acquisition talks with Netflix and Paramount Skydance, with Bloomberg reporting Tuesday night that Warner Bros. is expected to reject Paramount’s offer next week.

Amid the trillion-rand corporate action, Canal+ and Warner Bros. Discovery were negotiating an agreement to replace one it had with MultiChoice, which expires at midnight.

Canal+ and Warner Bros. Discovery said their new agreement marked a major milestone in the development of their collaboration on an international scale.

“It builds on the landmark agreements concluded in France in 2024 — including the renewal of the exclusive pay-TV window for Warner Bros. Pictures films just six months after their theatrical release in France.”

The deal also includes the integration of HBO Max within select Canal+ group offers, with the renewal of the distribution agreement for 22 thematic channels and 4 free-to-air channels.

Canal+ confirmed that the agreement includes the renewal of the distribution of 12 Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels across MultiChoice Group territories, with some offered exclusively.

The channels concerned are:

• CNN International and Cartoon Network — exclusively in South Africa, and non-exclusively in other territories.

• Cartoon Network Porto — exclusively in Angola and Mozambique, and non-exclusively in other territories.

• Cartoonito, Cartoonito Porto, Discovery Channel, Discovery Family, Real Time, ID, TLC, HGTV, Travel, TNT Africa, Food Network — non-exclusive.

“This agreement enables Canal+ group to strengthen its entertainment, kids, news, and documentary channel offering in African markets,” it said.

Canal+ said its partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery is also being extended and strengthened in Europe through several strategic renewals and expansions. These include:

• Renewal of Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, and CNN International in Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.

• Renewal of Warner TV in the Czech Republic.

• Renewal of HBO Max, HBO, and Cinemax in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania.

• Expansion of HBO Max distribution via Canal+ to two new key territories: Belgium, and Austria.

“This agreement enhances access for Canal+ group subscribers to Warner Bros. Discovery’s iconic content via HBO Max and select channels,” it said.

“The access includes premium series and films that contribute to the studio’s international reach.”