Possible Canal+ Victims: SuperSportBET, SuperSport Park, SA20 League And SuperSport Schools

During the week, it was announced that MultiChoice ended it's sponsorship for the DStv Delicious Festival after 13 years. This forms part of Canal+'s cost cutting measures after acquiring the company by late 2025.

This news doesn't really come as a surprise to some outlets as Canal+ had been trying to exit services which has been deemed non-core to its strategy. And DStv Delicious Festival served as an unnecessary expense for the French broadcaster.

Other assets also at MultiChoice that could be under review come from SuperSport and this ranges from SuperSport Park, SuperSportBET, SuperSport Schools and SA20 League. 

SuperSport Park is a cricket stadium located in Centurion, It is the home ground of the Titans cricket team and hosts international Test, ODI, and T20 matches. This comes with a lot of physical expenses that the company doesn't need.

Because Canal+ can't retrench anyone for three years that doesn't block them from selling SuperSport Park. In the event of a sale, workers would fall under the new owner's jurisdiction and not that of MultiChoice and SuperSport.

SuperSportBET is an online sports betting and casino platform launched in January 2024 by MultiChoice Group in partnership with KingMakers (Betking). It still operates at a loss compared to established brands like Betway and HollywoodBet.

If it's situation doesn't improve there's a strong chance that Canal+ will discontinue its services.

The SA20 (officially Betway SA20) is South Africa’s premier domestic T20 franchise cricket league, launched in 2023 as Cricket South Africa’s (CSA). It forms part of a venture with MultiChoice and SuperSport with them having minority stake.

The reason this comes under the microscope is due to the stake as Canal+ serves a distributor of sporting events. They're not the type to offer grassroot events or sponsorships which is where SuperSport Schools also factors in.

Not that Canal+ also owns SuperSport Schools, if they were to be paying for a separate production facility, travel costs for some of the players and other accomodations. Those could form part of the cost cutting measures at MultiChoice.

Could Canal+ Look To Discontinue GOtv As They Restructure DStv Packages?

As readers already heard, Canal+ is looking to restructure it's DStv packages because MultiChoice offered about 17 of that in SA. To top it off in other MultiChoice territories, they distribute GOtv which adds another layer of complexity in those plans.

Since 2023, MultiChoice had lost over 3 million subscribers and that the new owners have taken upon themselves to stop further price increases. They're trying to cut down on expenses and make MultiChoice's services affordable.

In Canal+ Afrique territories, their packages are a lot cheaper and it was revealed by the French giant that MultiChoice charges way too much.

Getting back to the packages, MultiChoice offers both DStv and GOtv, and now under French hands there's a strong possibility that one of the two likely GOtv will be put out of its misery.

If the plan here is to make DStv affordable to a point where inflation is very minimal as seen with Canal+ Afrique. There really wouldn't be much need for a GOtv as it was structured by MultiChoice as lightweight or lower budget version of DStv.

If you're folding this structure on DStv possible case scenario here is that Canal+ opts to consolidate the two under one brand if not also opt to keep either DTT or DTH onboard.

Like I mentioned, there is a lot of overlapping between these two.

Take for instance, DStv Compact Plus and GOtv's most expensive offering Supa Plus both carry the same sporting events. Then there's DStv Compact and GOtv Supa/Max that offers a mix of local and international content. 

Followed by DStv Access and Family alongside GOtv Jolli and Jinja which are all aimed at families and kids with a couple of local channels and kids stuff.

All these packages are priced similarly and in the event this restructure takes place it's less likely that Canal+ will try to make these packages rival each other. They've already decapitated Showmax after criticising MultiChoice for making it rival with DStv.

If I had to guess how this could as well pan out maybe Canal+ will merge DStv Compact+ and GOtv Supa Plus with DStv Premium. They've made a majority of channels on these packages accessible to DStv Compact and GOtv Supa customers.

Then there's DStv Family and GOtv Max maybe Canal+ will look to merge that with DStv Compact and GOtv Supa. Just like DStv Premium, MultiChoice has made a couple of channels viewable on there and I mean the entire kids and music lineup.

This would leave DStv Access and GOtv Jinja/Jolli I'm expecting for this to go unscatched considering the pricing and the fact there's minimal overlaps with other DStv and GOtv packages.

Canal+ Dumps DStv Delicious Festival Due To Aggressive Cost Cutting At MultiChoice

The Sunday World newspaper, citing sources, reports that Canal+ has decided to dump the DStv Delicious International Food & Music Festival as part of Canal+'s drastic and aggressive ongoing cost-cutting at MultiChoice.

The DStv Delicious Festival, that's been often-criticised in past editions, started in 2013 and held its 12th one in September at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit.

DStv Delicious as a subscriber retention, potential upsell and marketing event, focused on the DStv mass-market and combined music acts, including international artists, with a food marketplace as a culinary showcase, combined with a fashion display component that involved local South African fashion designers.

Canal+ is now removing DStv as naming-rights sponsor with multiple sources who said that MultiChoice is done with its sponsorship of DStv Delicious.

Canal+ said that "Since tak­ing own­er­ship of Mul­tiChoice last year, Canal+ has put in place a stra­tegic plan to ensure a sus­tain­able future for the com­pany, put­ting it back on a path­way towards growth. This is essen­tial to ensure that con­sumers are able to con­tinue to enjoy com­pel­ling local and inter­na­tional con­tent on lead­ing plat­forms and that we can con­tinue to sup­port South Africa’s cre­at­ive indus­tries."

"We are proud to work with a broad eco­sys­tem of part­ners, includ­ing SMES and local pro­duc­tion houses, which are crit­ical to our busi­ness and to the growth of the cre­at­ive sec­tor across Africa."

"We remain com­mit­ted to the under­tak­ings we made dur­ing the acquis­i­tion pro­cess and are focused on build­ing a strong, sus­tain­able busi­ness to the bene­fit of South African con­sumers and cre­at­ives alike.

Less Brands, Less Confusion, More Simplicity, Cheaper Packages And Cheaper Decoders. - Canal+ S.A. On DStv

Canal+ unveiled its financial year results ending 31 March 2026 and gave some indicators on where things stand for them with MultiChoice. They acquired the company last year with plans to its rollout its streaming service in place of Showmax.

Unfortunately, Showmax will go dark by the end of April and Canal+ plans to move further shows onto DStv Stream as consumers await for their dedicated app.

Also on the cards is a further restructuring to the DStv services as it was mentioned by the company that MultiChoice way too much. Aside from DStv Premium to Easyview, there's also AddMovies, Insurance and the Explora Ultra.

Showmax formed part of this as it offered a Premier League subscription and a discounted rate for DStv consumers. With it being shuttered, this is one way they're trying to make simplier for consumers.

Canal+ plans to deploy a 1000 salespeople in MultiChoice markets and help them get commission if they're able to push DStv decoders to homes. It appears the focus has shifted toward their mass market or should I say lower paying consumers.

Not long ago, it was that Canal+ might have shelved yet to launch DStv Ultra decoder as it was deemed too expensive for the African market. These sales people aren't pushing Explora type decoders into Africa but DStv ones as they're affordable.

Some consumers probably noticed that Canal+ also brought down the prices to some of MultiChoice's services in the market. The plan is to duplicate this onto DStv packages across Africa and there's no word on how they plan to do all this.

According to Thinus Ferreira, Canal+ outlined it's plans as so: less brands, less confusion, more simplicity, cheaper packages and cheaper decoders.

If you look at how all of this is being worded out, the only way I can see them achieve this level of simplicity is to restructure DStv packages. There's massive overlaps between DStv Family and Compact as well as Premium and Compact+.

Maybe Canal+ will look to merge it's Compact+ and Premium offering into one package with Compact and Family forming the other. There had been talks since last year about unbundling SuperSport from the DStv offering maybe that will be factored in.

MultiChoice also offered a Chinese, Bollywood, French and Portuguese package. I'd imagine Canal+ would want to deploy Tout Canal+ in place of DStv French and likely scrap the Chinese package with further reductions to Bollywood and Portuguese.

In South Africa, MultiChoice even consolidated it's Portuguese offering onto remaining DStv packages. For all we know, Canal+ could look to duplicate this in more African countries. 

Canal+ May Look To Add Adult Entertainment Channels To MultiChoice's DStv

Almost a decade ago, StarSat served as one of the few pay-tv providers to offer adult entertainment channels to viewers in Africa. Before it's closure in South Africa, they had attempted to offer Hustlers TV and a bundle of channels until they got the axe.

Despite StarSat playing it safe ensuring it was only broadcast between 20:00 to 05:00, even requiring subscribers to add parental control to ensure minors don't have access to such material. The backlash and legal rambling wasn't enough to keep it on air.

ICASA was even involved throughout the whole process and even gave StarSat the greenlight to distribute the content as an add-on in South Africa.

MultiChoice at one point attempted to offer an adult entertainment channel and even did market research before going against it. Then again, their former CEO stated that some people misinterpreted the idea on how it would be distributed.

Now MultiChoice's new owners Canal+ is exploring the possibility of rolling out the following to DStv consumers:

* Hustler TV: Owned by the famous Hustler brand, this channel airs a mix of adult movies, including hardcore features and parodies.

* Vixen TV: This channel focuses on high-end, "cinematic" adult content that often has higher production values than typical adult films.

* Private TV: A long-standing European brand known for high-budget, "blockbuster" style adult movies with more of a focus on storytelling.

* Penthouse TV: Linked to the famous magazine, this channel typically features high-quality adult films and erotic specials. 

Canal+ Africa's CEO David Mignot stated Canal+ has always offered adult entertainment channels, but added that the idea is to comply with each country’s local regulations and sensitivities.

As mentioned, there's no laws that prohibit such content from being broadcast in South Africa as ICASA is involved throughout the whole process. But the backlash and legal rambling (or should I say "sensitivities") makes it a no no for South Africa.

Although some reports from late 2025 suggest certain adult sites had more viewers in South Africa than News24 whose peak comes during elections or national crises. 

More DStv Channels Coming Soon To Canal+ Afrique

Canal+ Afrique which serves as MultiChoice's French equivalent in Africa has distributed various DStv channels like Zee World, Studio Universal and Africa Magic Igbo. This is because MultiChoice was acquired by Canal+ Afrique's owners in late 2025.

This gave Canal+ Afrique access to M-Net's local archives as well as brands like Telemundo and Universal TV whose availability was exclusive to only MultiChoice consumers.

In exchange, MultiChoice was given access to Canal+'s local endeavours with Pulaayu and Zacu Entertainment alongside StudioCanal.

During the year, it was reported that Canal+ Afrique's DStv English Plus consumers had gained access to WWE, La Liga and Studio Universal. It appears that the broadcaster is looking to expand on this with Fishing TV, History and Comedy Central.

HISTORY: It broadcasts documentaries and shows about historical events, ancient civilizations, wars, mysteries, biographies, and factual entertainment.

Comedy Central: It specializes in comedy — stand-up specials, sitcoms (like South Park, The Office reruns, or local adaptations), sketch shows, and humorous series.

Fishing TV: A niche channel dedicated to fishing and angling. It features fishing shows, tutorials, documentaries, competitions, travel to fishing spots worldwide, and content for recreational anglers (freshwater, saltwater, fly fishing, etc.).

Canal+ is adding more sports channels 

Also on the cards is SuperSport Events, Variety, Africa 1 and 2 which builds onto speculation that Canal+ Afrique may be looking to distribute SuperSport's entire offering. This is due to Grandstand's presence on the platform.

MultiChoice distributes Grandstand exclusively to its top paying clients on DStv Premium. If it were to resurface on Canal+ Afrique perhaps a lot cheaper it would diminish the value for the brand.

S-Events: This is a sports events channel. It focuses on major live sports broadcasts, special events, and key matches or competitions (often football, rugby, or other high-profile games that don't fit on the main Canal+ Sport channel).

Grandstand: A dedicated sports channel, similar to "Grandstand" formats elsewhere (like SuperSport Grandstand). It provides extensive live sports coverage, multi-event switching, highlights, and analysis — ideal for following several games or tournaments at once.

Africa: This channel features African-focused content, including local and pan-African movies, series, music, cultural shows, news, and entertainment tailored to African audiences.

Africa 2: A companion to Africa, offering more African programming — often additional movies, series, or variety content from across the continent (sometimes with a slightly different emphasis, like more Nollywood-style films or regional shows).

Variety 1: A general entertainment and variety channel. It typically airs a mix of movies, series, talk shows, music, reality TV, and lighter programming for broad appeal.

Canal+ Madagascar shared the news on their social platforms on April 1st (APRIL FOOLS) before taking it down and I doubt Canal+ would go through all that work and just lie. It could be that it was announced too early or they're still trying to finalize things.

MultiChoice Might Be Looking To Revive The 1Max Channel As Showmax Cutoff Date Draws Near

After Canal+'s MultiChoice decided to shutter the struggling Showmax streaming service in the African market by the end of April. It looks like 1Max could be making a comeback to DStv likely as a pop-up channel.

Canal+ is in the process of deploying its own streaming service in MultiChoice territories as Showmax gets consolidated under DStv Stream. The plan is to have a dedicated section for the former streamer and make it accessible to Compact.

A test card for 1Max had been spotted through DStv Stream and in an enquiry to MultiChoice only responded to say "more content will be added on".

If anyone has to guess, MultiChoice is probably planning to revive 1Max to promote this dedicated section on DStv Stream. It might also serve as some tribute channel seeing as Showmax will be going dark soon.

MultiChoice had begun moving remaining Showmax Originals to Mzansi Magic, KykNET and Africa Magic. It's likely that the relaunched 1Max will lean toward Showmax's older library of content.

By the time Canal+ deploys it's streaming app, don't be surprised if 1Max disappeared again and this section on DStv Stream. Then again, Canal+ could morph this into a TV channel for its streaming app when it goes live later in the year.

Canal+ Might Look To Reduce Local Commentary At SuperSport

As some people may have heard, the Competition Commission is monitoring Canal+ following it's acquisition of MultiChoice in 2025. This includes the company's decision to shut down Showmax with voluntarily retrenchments also underway.

According to Rapport, there's growing fear amongst the media that Canal+ could look to reduce local commentary at SuperSport. This is because the French giant can't retrench staff and are looking for ways to save money.

One way they could look to save up on costs is by scrapping Afrikaans commentary during cricket matches. Especially if there's not much people using this option when the games are broadcast.

Not long ago, Solidarity had questioned SuperSport, on its decision for not providing Afrikaans commentary for the New Zealand series. Their claim was later rebuffed after it was revealed that no local commentary was done at all.

This was because of the low viewership count for these matches and even when they do broadcast matches with SA teams. It's normal for some matches to not be dubbed while others that do usually cover several local languages.

There was also concerns about Canal+ scaling back on locally produced shows for more dubbed series as seen with the American drama, Landman. 

It was stated by them that it would make no sense in scaling back this offering as it serves as a core component in their strategy. Making Landman available in Afrikaans only helps broaden the reach of this offering to more consumers.

Athletics South Africa Exits SuperSport After 4 Years With Further Matches Set To Be Broadcast On SABC

DStv consumers have to brace for more bad news as Athletics SA had announced that their agreement with SuperSport had come to an end after 4 years. As the new owners Canal+ are busy aggressively slashing costs at MultiChoice.

Canal+ stripped SuperSport of its acquisition power with decisions over what to broadcast made in Paris. Since then, DStv consumers had missed out on various events like World Darts Championship, Winter Olympics and now Athletics SA.

According to Cash N Sport, Athletics SA was in talks with the SABC and SuperSport but couldn't come to an agreement over which events would air on either broadcaster. They were aiming to restructure their broadcasting agreement with SuperSport.

After SuperSport and Athletics SA formed an alliance to have these matches broadcast exclusively on DStv. The plan was to make a non-exclusive agreement which would give them a cheque and increased exposure from the SABC. 

With Athletics SA losing a major broadcaster like SuperSport, there's growing fear about how they'll plan to accommodate it's staff and put on races. Advertising alone can't accommodate sports as opposed to general entertainment.

Even though these matches would be broadcast on SABC, the broadcaster has fallen on troubled times and relied on sponsors to cover such events. With them losing out on SuperSport, the quality of these matches will see further diminish.

 

Could MultiChoice Look To Replace BET As Canal+ Afrique Might Have A Suitor For Paramount Network France?

Last year, Paramount closed its doors in Africa and various parts of Europe affecting brands like BET, MTV Base and Paramount Network. These channels were distributed in Canal+ Afrique and MultiChoice territories that started the year with less channels.

Prior to their exist, MultiChoice had stated that at this stage they weren't looking to replace these channels. Looking at the number of channels to have exited their platforms it was believed that they weren't interested in replacing them.

They had widened the reach of Trace TV's remaining channels like Gospel and Ngoma (formerly Africa) to its DStv Access subscribers. To some this was probably their way of compensating for MTV Base but that was not the case here.

During the month, MultiChoice had launched Base Pulse in the same frequency as MTV Base. Oddly enough some of Paramount's staff are now seen on this newest addition by Pulse Entertainment.

Prior to its addition, they were whispers of an MTV Base revival and all of this was likely pointing toward Base Pulse. As both brands have "Base" in the name aside from channel number, staff and heavy focus on Amapiano vibes.

Canal+ Afrique had also been test running a TV channel with Paramount Network's frequency and it's a safe bet that like Base Pulse maybe some of the content will resurface on this channel. Unless it could as well be another Canal+ branded channel.

Following the acquisition of MultiChoice, they have access to M-Net's local archives so they might as well dust out some old IPs and introduce them to these consumers. As mentioned, it's just speculation as tests are still underway.

As for MultiChoice, I haven't seen any signs that they're looking to replace BET however a duplicate feed for Moja 9.9. is currently being tested. Sometimes when a duplicate feed is placed it's usually just a placeholder for another TV channel.

In rare cases, they're just making upgrades which I doubt as there's an SD and HD feed, and I also doubt they're launching a localised feed. These are usually reserved for flagship brands like Moja Love as rerun channels aren't prioritised for such in this instance.

MultiChoice has localised feeds for M-Net, M-Net Movies 1, Disney Channel and TLC but not for your M-Net Movies 2-4, Disney Junior and Real Time.

Could Canal+ Afrique Also Be Looking To Add Base Pulse Soon?

During the month, MultiChoice added Base Pulse which serves as a Pan-African based brand operated by Pulse Entertainment. It serves as a replacement to MTV Base broadcasting African music ranging from Amapiano, Gqom and Kwaito.

Questions making the round now is whether Base Pulse could be looking to debut on Canal+ Afrique as a test card for MTV Base had also been inserted on their platforms.

Considering Canal+ Afrique's parent company also owns MultiChoice it wouldn't seem far fetched to think Base Pulse could be included on their platforms. Seeing as they already distribute M-Net Movies and Zee World as part of an add-on. 

It could also be another TV channel seeing as MultiChoice caters for English speaking markets while Canal+ Afrique manages French markets.

Maybe a French version to Base Pulse seeing as the channel is distributed across MultiChoice markets and not only in South Africa. It could also be the same feed seen in MultiChoice markets as Canal+ Afrique also offers Anglophone content.

Rumour: Canal+ To Rebrand The FilmBox Channels In Poland To FilmBox+

According to unofficial information from satkurier.pl, six TV channels from the Kino Polska Group portfolio will soon undergo rebranding. The changes will cover the stations: Kino TV as well as FilmBox Action, FilmBox Arthouse, FilmBox Family, FilmBox Extra, and FilmBox Premium – i.e., all five FilmBox family channels currently available on the Polish market. 

The biggest change will be the transformation of the Kino TV channel into FILMBOX+ one. For the remaining stations, the "FILMBOX" part will be retained, but a "+" symbol will appear in their names. The second parts of the names will also be modified – for example: "arthouse" will be replaced by "festival", "family" by "comedy", "extra" by "emotion", and "premium" by "hits". Only the Action channel will keep its current second name part.  

Planned new channel names:

• Kino TV → FILMBOX+ one

• FilmBox Action → FILMBOX+ action  

ad  

• FilmBox Arthouse → FILMBOX+ festival

• FilmBox Family → FILMBOX+ comedy

• FilmBox Extra → FILMBOX+ emotion

• FilmBox Premium → FILMBOX+ hits  

The name changes will be accompanied by modifications to the programming schedules of the individual stations, but their film-and-series profile will be maintained.  

The planned date for implementing the rebranding of all six channels is June 10, 2026. According to our information, the decision to change the names stems from the need to more clearly differentiate the programming offer and to strengthen the visual recognizability of the FilmBox brand. The goal is also to better reflect the character and scope of the content broadcast on each channel.

Currently, 66% of the shares in the Kino Polska Group are held by SPI International B.V., a company fully controlled by the CANAL+ Group. The Kino Polska Group is one of the leading media groups in Poland and also operates on international markets. It deals with the distribution and production of content for television, VOD platforms, streaming services, and cinemas, as well as the sale of programming licenses. It is also the broadcaster of thematic TV channels. In addition to the mentioned stations, the Group's portfolio includes channels such as Stopklatka, Zoom TV, Kino Polska, Kino Polska Muzyka, and Gametoon.

The article is published by satkurier.pl

Canal+ And PPF Considering Viaplay Takeover After Building Up Stake At Pay-TV Company

Canal+ and PPF are considering a joint move that would bring Viaplay into private ownership, according to a Bloomberg report.

The move would mark the next stage in the Nordic streaming group’s post-recapitalisation reshaping. The two companies already hold roughly 29.3% each of Viaplay following the Swedish broadcaster’s 2024 rescue recapitalisation, meaning they already control close to 60% of the company between them.  

Neither Canal+, PPF nor Viaplay has commented publicly on the report. Viaplay has spent the past two years rebuilding after its near-collapse, with Canal+ and PPF emerging as cornerstone shareholders through the SEK 4 billion (€0.36 billion) recapitalisation completed in early 2024.  

Any deal would come against a backdrop of a sharp recovery in Viaplay’s market value from distressed levels, even if the stock remains far below where it traded before the crisis. 

Viaplay’s footprint today centres on the Nordics, the Netherlands and Poland, while the company has been focusing on profitability and simplification. It withdrew from a number of territories, including the UK, where it sold the former Premier Sports business back to its original owners.

Its latest full-year results, published on 19 February, also reflected the acquisition of the remaining shares in Allente, underlining that the group is still in active portfolio and ownership transition.  

BBC Studios Expands It's Footprint With The French-Language Launch Of BBC Earth With Canal+ In Africa

The launch will bring world-class natural history programming and premium factual storytelling to a wider African audience, providing 22 French-speaking sub-Saharan African countries access to the channel.

The new French-language feed will bring BBC Studios’ award-winning factual catalogue to millions of additional viewers, offering a breathtaking window into the natural world, pioneering scientific documentaries and extraordinary human stories.

At launch, BBC Earth will present a standout line-up of landmark natural history series and powerful documentaries from BBC Studios’ acclaimed factual library. Viewers can expect celebrated productions from BBC Studios Natural History Unit, including Seven Worlds, One Planet, The Green Planet, Frozen Planet II and Blue Planet II, all narrated by Sir David Attenborough.

The channel line-up also features a wide selection of specialist wildlife documentaries such as Natural World: Giraffes – Africa’s Gentle Giants, My Congo, Cheetah Family and Me, and Natural World: Cheetahs Growing Up Fast offering intimate portraits of remarkable species and the people working to protect them. Global series including Africa, Earth, Universe and The Planets will also be available on the channel, providing perspectives on the natural world.

Adventure and exploration are also central to the channel, with titles such as Where the Wild Men Are, Life Below Zero, Arctic with Bruce Parry and Steve Backshall’s Extreme River Challenge taking viewers into some of the world’s most remote and challenging environments.

The channel’s programming will be dubbed into French and expertly curated scheduling tailored to the interests and viewing habits of Francophone markets.

Pierre Cloete, VP for Africa at BBC Studios, said: “The French-language launch of BBC Earth on Canal+ marks a significant milestone in BBC Studios’ commitment to making exceptional factual content accessible to global audiences in their own language. We are thrilled to expand BBC Earth’s footprint in partnership with Canal+. African audiences have a deep passion for documentary storytelling and we are proud to bring even more people the very best of BBC Studios’ natural history, science, and factual catalogue.

Fabrice Faux, Channels & Content director for French-Speaking Africa said: “Canal+ is happy and proud to offer its subscribers the high-quality factual entertainment from BBC Earth, which will ideally complement its discovery vertical. Educational programming is also a key component of Canal+’s offers in Africa, and BBC Earth is a strong addition in this area."

The channel will be available on Channel 203 within Tout Canal+.

Canal+ To Shutter Showmax Streaming Service By The End Of April As Content Moves To DStv Stream

Showmax has today confirmed key dates marking the end of the streaming service that has operated across 44 markets in Sub-Saharan Africa for the past 11 years.

In an email sent to subscribers on Wednesday evening, the platform outlined a phased wind-down of its current service, with 31 March 2026 set as the final day for subscription renewals and voucher redemptions. From 1 April 2026, new subscriptions and renewals will no longer be available.

Existing subscribers will continue watching content until their subscription expires, or until the end of April 2026, whichever comes first.

This new update provides the clearest consumer-facing timeline yet, following the announcement roughly two weeks ago that Canal+ would shut down Showmax, citing “unacceptable” losses at the African streamer as it sought cost-saving measures.

That announcement sent shockwaves across the industry, from Nairobi to Lagos to Johannesburg, with filmmakers and actors raising concerns over the loss of a key African platform that had, for over a decade, commissioned and amplified local storytelling at scale.

At the same time, the announcement was also met with uncertainty, particularly due to the absence of a clear shutdown timeline or transition plan for subscribers.

Even now, some subscribers have already begun expressing frustration over the short transition window. “It’s really annoying how little time is left,” one subscriber and regular Showmax viewer said in a WhatsApp message.

Showmax Originals will now move to DStv Stream, positioning it as MultiChoice’s central hub for streaming offering, at least for now.

“Showmax is starting a new chapter, and your favourite shows are getting a shiny new home on DStv Stream,” the company said in the email.

But the language used in the communication also suggests that there is more to come. In stating that the content will join “a bigger world of entertainment, all in one place,” MultiChoice hints at a broader consolidation strategy — one that could see Canal+ and MultiChoice’s currently fragmented digital products folded into a more unified streaming ecosystem. There have been reports that Canal+ is exploring a single “super app”, one to rule them all, though this remains unconfirmed at this stage.

In the meantime, it remains unclear whether Showmax users will be migrated to DStv Stream, and what that process would look like in terms of pricing, packaging and access, especially given the current price disparity between the two services. 

The company says further details on how subscribers can continue “enjoying Showmax Originals and more” on DStv Stream will be shared soon.

For now, it’s confirmed without a doubt that Showmax is entering its final weeks.

Parliament Looking To Intervene In Canal+'s MultiChoice Decision To Discontinue Showmax

Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies is planning a special oversight visit to the broadcasting sector following Canal+'s announcement to discontinue its unprofitable streaming service, Showmax.

This decision comes after Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Sixolise Gcilishe contacted the committee chairperson, Khusela Sangoni-Diko, regarding the shutdown. Launched by MultiChoice in 2015, Showmax has been a platform for African films and TV series, available in at least 44 African countries.

"MultiChoice, part of CANAL+ SA ... today announces the forthcoming discontinuation of the Showmax service," Canal+ said in a statement.

"The substantial annual losses experienced by the Showmax business have proved unsustainable."

Gcilishe had requested that MultiChoice (Pty) Ltd provide an update to the committee on the termination of the Showmax platform, the associated job losses, and the prospects for local productions.

“This decision raises significant concerns relevant to our committee's responsibilities, particularly regarding the support of the local creative industry, job retention, and adherence to transformation goals within our digital economy. 

“Showmax has been crucial in contributing to our national identity and pushing the South African narrative by providing a platform for local producers, actors, writers and technical teams,” Gcilishe said.

“Any significant corporate changes by a major entity like MultiChoice will likely result in job losses, affecting not just the company but also the wider creative sector, including writers, directors, editors, and freelance workers reliant on streaming services for income.”

Gcilishe asked that MultiChoice be prepared to address the following specific topics in their presentation:

• the definitive timeline and rationale for ending or restructuring Showmax,

• a thorough assessment of the potential job losses, both at MultiChoice and within the wider film and television industry, and

• The future of existing Showmax Original productions and their accessibility to South African viewers.

Sangoni-Diko said that the matters Gcilishe raised are significant to the stability of South Africa’s creative economy and the sustainability of local content production.

“It is for this reason that the committee had already initiated engagements with key entities with a view to inviting them to account to Parliament.

"The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) and the Competition Commission are scheduled to brief the committee on 17 March 2026 on the regulatory conditions, public interest commitments, and compliance requirements linked to the final approval of the Canal+ acquisition of MultiChoice,” Sangoni-Diko said.

“Following this, the committee is working on scheduling a special oversight visit to the broadcasting sector on 31 March and 1 April 2026, covering eTV, MultiChoice, and other commercial broadcasters,” she said.

Canal+ And SuperSport Renew Distribution Partnership With SA Rugby

SA Rugby and the CANAL+ Group have discussed and planned a continued partnership with SuperSport, Africa’s leading sports broadcaster, following fruitful and productive engagements in Johannesburg this week.

SA Rugby executives met with their CANAL+ Group counterparts at the MultiChoice offices in Randburg, Johannesburg, where both entities discussed strategic plans to bring rugby fans and viewers closer to the game through the existing broadcast partnership.

The two organisations met for a series of information-sharing sessions to better understand each entity's long-term strategy and move forward with a common purpose and goal as partners in delivering the best possible rugby viewing experience to viewers and DStv subscribers across the continent. These include the immersive experiences as well as storytelling, which brings viewers more of the sports content they desire beyond the live action.

With SA Rugby preparing to stage some of the most exciting rugby matches in history starting in 2026 – across Springbok men, women, junior teams, as well as sevens – the partnership with SuperSport – part of the CANAL+ Group, ensures that millions of rugby followers will get to participate in the excitement.

SA Rugby CEO, Rian Oberholzer, said: “SuperSport has been at our side for decades, bringing rugby fans all the action, including Rugby World Cups, and we’re excited to continue this journey with them. We had very fruitful discussions with CANAL+ leadership in Johannesburg and, along with them, we are very excited about the road ahead.”

Rendani Ramovha, CANAL+ Director for Sports Content in English and Portuguese-speaking Africa, said: “As part of CANAL+ Africa and the CANAL+ Group, we are proud to be able to enhance our existing partnership with SA Rugby.

“Rugby plays an important role in the sports package we deliver to our CANAL+ Africa SA Pay-TV audience and the partnership with SA Rugby is crucial to delivering the very best in local and international rugby.

“We are excited to engage with the rugby governing body to find ways to deliver the sport to audiences across many different touchpoints: linear television, streaming, digital and social media.

“The robust and engaging discussions were aimed at ensuring that the viewer gets the ultimate rugby viewing experience, courtesy of this SuperSport partnership. We cannot wait for the viewers and DStv subscribers to experience all that we have in store this year, leading up to the Springboks’ title defence in Australia next year.”

Canal+ Aiming To Launch Showmax Replacement App Under DStv Stream In MultiChoice Markets

Canal+ unveiled its financial year results ending 31 December 2025 and gave some indicators on what awaits MultiChoice after completing it's acquisition last year. 

As reported earlier in the month, Showmax will be shutting down its operations after 11 years. The news doesn't come as a surprise and it was long speculated after MultiChoice shortened the window for shows exclusively for Showmax through DStv. 

Now the French giant plans to use to the existing footprint of DStv Stream to expand its streaming endeavours in MultiChoice territories. This service has already been active in 25 African countries and will likely go live by the end of 2026.

“As you know, this was a severely loss-making activity on which we saw no recovery, no matter what was done,” the CEO said.

Saada explained that Canal+ quickly came to an agreement with Comcast to shut down Showmax as soon as possible, but said he couldn’t share details on the negotiations.

During their financial year presentation, Canal+ confirmed that Comcast was on board with the decision to end it's joint venture for Showmax. Of course, they didn't want to divulge on the details except promising enhancements to DStv Stream.

Saada explained that Canal+ quickly came to an agreement with Comcast to shut down Showmax as soon as possible, but said he couldn’t share details on the negotiations.

They also plan to migrate existing Showmax customers to DStv Stream and have shows like Die Kantoor and Youngins accessible to viewers.

What is currently unknown is when this service will be released but it's likely slated for 2026 considering that Showmax will be discontinued in the "near future" according to their release.

Of course another challenge would be the pricing because consumers were billed R45 to R99 monthly for Showmax while Premium subscribers got it at no additional charge. Under DStv Stream, the price range for affected content is over R400 per month.

StudioCanal Takes A Majority Stake In Italy's Lucky Red

STUDIOCANAL, Europe's leading film and television studio and CANAL+ in house studio has today announced the acquisition of a majority stake in LUCKY RED, one of Italy's major Italian distribution and production companies.

Established in 1987 in Rome by Andrea Occhipinti, Lucky Red initially operated as an independent art-house film distributor. It has since expanded its scope and now stands as a major player in Italy’s independent film distribution and production landscape. Over nearly four decades, Lucky Red has released more than 600 films, many of which have received major international distinctions, including awards from Cannes International Film Festival, Venice International Film Festival, the Academy Awards and the David di Donatello Awards. Its catalogue includes films from some of the world’s most acclaimed directors (Bong Joon-ho, Jafar Panahi, Joachim Trier, Paolo Sorrentino, Michael Haneke, Paul Thomas Anderson, Wim Wenders, Danny Boyle, Luca Guadagnino, Alexander Payne, Todd Haynes, Stephen Frears, Asghar Farhadi). In 2024, Lucky Red was awarded ‘best international innovation for distribution’ at the third International Film Distribution Summit.

Lucky Red and STUDIOCANAL are building on a long-standing relationship that has bought audiences an array of cinematic hits from The Coen Brothers' INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS to STUDIOCANAL's German production HEIDI, and the acclaimed WE LIVE IN TIME starring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield. Their partnership continues with the highly anticipated release of Aardman and STUDIOCANAL's SHAUN THE SHEEP: THE BEAST OF MOSSY BOTTOM coming to theatres this Halloween, ELSINORE, currently in post-production in the UK for STUDIOCANAL, Lucky Red, Magnolia May Films and LD Entertainment, VIOLETTE (Changer l’eau des fleurs) from acclaimed director Jean-Pierre Jeunet and FONDA from Academy Award and BAFTA winning director Justine Triet, announced last week. FONDA will star Mia Goth and Andrew Scott with Allison Janney in talks to join the project shooting this Spring. STUDIOCANAL picked up several major territories including Italy.

With this acquisition, the partnership enters an exciting new phase, giving STUDIOCANAL a unique opportunity to expand direct operations into a major European market, alongside its existing direct distribution and production presence across 11 European territories, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, with offices in the United States and China. For Lucky Red, the move unlocks the potential to board more ambitious projects, reinforcing its ability to attract both seasoned filmmakers and emerging talent, setting the stage for even greater creative and commercial success.

Lucky Red continues to deliver strong box office success at the Italian box office with recent hits including THE BOY AND THE HÉRON, PERFECT DAYS, EMILIA PEREZ, DRACULA, BERLINGUER: LA GRANDE AMBIZIONE, NO OTHER CHOICE, A SIMPLE ACCIDENT, SENTIMENTAL VALUE. The company’s success also extends to television with acclaimed titles such as BELCANTO (RAI & Netflix), GIGOLO PER CASO (Prime Video) and CHRISTIAN (Sky), demonstrating its ability to captivate audiences across both big and small screens.

Anna Marsh, CEO of STUDIOCANAL and Chief Content Officer of CANAL+: "I am delighted that STUDIOCANAL is deepening its partnership with the incredibly talented team at Lucky Red, one of Italy’s most vibrant film and television companies. This development enables us to gain a solid presence in one of Europe’s prime markets, further reinforcing our status as the leading European studio. Both Lucky Red and STUDIOCANAL are dedicated to bold and distinctive storytelling across all forms, supported by deeply experienced teams committed to delivering extraordinary stories to audiences. This collaboration will further strengthen Lucky Red’s position as a major player in film and television”.

Andrea Occhipinti, founder and CEO of Lucky Red: “We are thrilled to be joining the most dynamic company in the European entertainment industry. Lucky Red and STUDIOCANAL are both distributors and producers of successful films and series, with complementary strengths and a shared long-term vision. Thanks to the incredible catalogue of film from STUDIOCANAL and its production slate, this prestigious international partnership will allow Lucky Red to strengthen its legitimacy as a major player in the local film industry, attracting high-caliber talent and producing first class content. I firmly believe that this is a perfect match and a great opportunity for further growth”.

Canal+ And Sky Launch New Partnership To Develop English-Language Drama

Sky and CANAL+ announced a strategic co commissioning partnership to develop premium, English language scripted content, bringing together complementary creative expertise, shared investment and international reach to support ambitious storytelling.

Sky and CANAL+ will work together to develop a minimum of two projects per year over an initial three-year term, co-financing green-lit projects. Drawing on the capabilities of STUDIOCANAL and leading independent producers, the partnership will provide a stage for both established and emerging talent.

The collaborative model is designed to support wide distribution, reaching audiences across Europe and beyond, and providing a strong route to market for UK led stories with international resonance.

Maxime Saada, CEO CANAL+, said: "Sky and CANAL+ share the same storytelling DNA and drive to develop globally successful content and IP. Our previous co-productions, like The Young Pope and Zero Zero Zero, are great examples of what we can do together through this complementary and ambitious new partnership.”

Dana Strong CBE, Group CEO Sky, said: “We are excited to build on our strong working relationship with CANAL+ to create this partnership. Sky and CANAL+ share a strong track record in creating premium drama, and through this collaboration we will bring our creative ambition and expertise together at scale.”

With the agreement now in place, Sky and CANAL+ will begin developing the first slate of tentpole projects in the coming months. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to long term collaboration and sustained investment in premium scripted content, developed in the UK and designed to travel internationally.