German pay-TV broadcaster Sky Deutschland is removing three channels from its TV line-up.
At the end of June 2023, Curiosity Channel (formerly Spiegel TV Wissen) and Spiegel Geschichte will be dropped, a Sky spokesperson confirmed to German industry magazine Digital Fernsehen.
Curiosity Channel is currently viewable on MultiChoice's DStv across Africa initially used as collateral for A+E Networks 3 brands at the time Lifetime, History and Crime + Investigation. The channel was founded by former founder of Discovery Channel, John S. Hendricks.
Another channel set to be axed before the end of 2023 is operated by Sky Deutschland, Sky Comedy. Although a Sky Comedy isn't offered in Africa the channel bares a resemblance to Paramount Global's Comedy Central also seen on DStv alongside StarTimes (not SA).
The reason: Media usage is moving strongly towards video-on-demand, said the spokesperson, adding that: “Sky doesn’t need a linear comedy channel.”
Over the years, MultiChoice has sorted to such measure which the reduction of M-Net Movies alongside the axing of M-Net City, VUZU, BBC First and ITV Choice with The Walt Disney Company anticipated to rip out more channels as seen with FOX and Disney XD years prior.
Even the BBC is planning to become an online only brand within the next decade. Since then a revised BBC News channel launched globally and also content spend was cut on BBC Brit, BBC Lifestyle, CBeebies and BBC Earth with some content streaming exclusively on BritBox.
