Four Channels Facing Bigger Risk Of Extinction Within MultiChoice And Warner Bros. Discovery Dispute

With only a few days left in 2025, MultiChoice and Warner Bros. Discovery have yet to come into an agreement over the fate of its 12 channels. These include Discovery Channel, TLC, TNT, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, CNN, Travel Channel and HGTV.

If these channels were to go dark for instance, consumers in South Africa would have no other means of viewing them. As opposed to other markets with StarTimes, Zuku TV and Azam TV supplying some of these channels in a separate agreement.

For Discovery Channel, Investigation Discovery, CNN, TNT, TLC, Real Time and Cartoon Network and Cartoonito. With them being on other platforms within Africa means normal viewing is expected to resume once they go dark on DStv.

As opposed to Food Network, HGTV, Travel Channel and Discovery Family that will have to see Warner Bros. Discovery reshuffle their portfolio and reschedule/delay shows. This is because MultiChoice was the only provider willing to bundle them despite the costs.

Most other providers rely on Discovery Channel and Real Time for the batch of shows on these channels including Ugliest House In America, Harry Potter: Wizards Of Baking and The Kitchen.

MultiChoice now under French management has been scaling back on costs with the cancellation of Philly's Games and World Darts Championship on SuperSport. It's likely that the ongoing talks with Warner Bros. Discovery will see their linear operations reduced.

Canal+ following its acquisition of MultiChoice had lost another million subscribers between March 2024 to March 2025 which is where part of their income reside. With fewer subscribers, MultiChoice won't be able to maintain the current DStv structure.

If these two parties do come to an agreement expect a streamlined portfolio which could as well result in the closure of Travel Channel and Discovery Family. In regards to the fate of Dead Files that may not be a priority if the viewership doesn't justify the means.

DStv Blackout Seems More Imminent As Renewal Talks Between MultiChoice And Warner Bros. Discovery Are Underway

With only a few days left into 2025, MultiChoice and Warner Bros. Discovery have yet to reach an agreement regarding Cartoon Network and TLC. Consumers would have spotted this message informing them these channels might go dark soon.

Canal+ following its acquisition of MultiChoice had been scaling back on costs and at this point consumers shouldn't be remotely shocked if we were to see a total blackout of these 12 channels.

These channels are bundled so even if MultiChoice wanted to retain a few channels that's not possible at this stage. So letting these brands die out would give them an open window to negotiate a new agreement where a few channels get reinstated.

MultiChoice had already planned their next step as talks ensue this includes fliekNET and various pop-up channels. DStv Upsize special which was scheduled to end on 31 December 2025 had been pushed up a month later to 31 January 2026.

Cartoon Network and Cartoonito have a 49% market share for kids viewing on DStv making them stronger candidates to get revived. Followed by TNT and TLC as they rank #1 in their current fields being international movies and lifestyle.

News isn't as big of a trailblazer in pay-tv circuit but CNN has massive following I can only assume it would be the fifth channel.

Paramount is closing CBS Justice by the end of December in its joint venture with AMC Networks International alongside CBS Reality. Maybe Discovery Channel and Investigation Discovery could come in sixth and seventh place.

But what is clear here is that MultiChoice is one of Warner's largest investors in Africa. With a Netflix sale and potential spinoff, the company housing these brands faces a lot of uncertainty so they would need a MultiChoice deal to avoid low revenue.

MultiChoice has been losing subscribers in recent years and they'll need to continue offering Beat Bobby Flay and Tiny Toons Looniversity to avoid a massive downfall to their pay-tv business. 

Could Canal+'s MultiChoice Give HGTV The Boot?

With only a few days left in 2025, MultiChoice and Warner Bros. Discovery have yet to come into an agreement over the fate of its 12 channels. These include Discovery Channel, TLC, TNT, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, CNN, Travel Channel and HGTV.

If these brands do get removed from DStv, some brands like Discovery Family for instance is less likely to resurface on another platform. As I mentioned, further content is on Discovery Channel.

There's also a possibility that this may extend to include HGTV.

HGTV was launched in South Africa by July 2019 and since it's inception it isn't viewable in most parts of Africa in which MultiChoice operate. Part of the reason is similar to what happened to BBC Earth's operations in these markets - it was just not viable at the time.

Now that Canal+'s is looking to slash costs at the company it's very likely that if a new agreement is reached some brands may not form part of this offering. In this case, it could as well be HGTV not because of consumer preferences but cost cutting.

MultiChoice had lost close to 3 million subscribers in the past two years and as a result they're operating income had plummeted.

Under previous management, they would have fought for HGTV but under Canal+ pricing is another factor. And if HGTV were to shutter it's less likely that StarTimes would snatch those rights and they could as well opt for alternatives e.g. Real Time.

Development Alert: The Curse Won't Be Replaced With Another Telenovela Once It Concludes On TLNovelas Across Africa

With a few days left in 2025, TLNovelas will be starting of 2026 with even lesser shows once The Curse concludes. 

According to the programme guide, It Had To Be You and Love To Death will soon air as a double bill while Fall Into Temptation remains as is. Usually when TLNovelas does this it implies that a major shakeup could be on the cards.

It wouldn't be shocking, when TLNovelas launched in Africa all their shows aired in double bill form and as time passed this was further reduced and aligned with Las Estrellas in Mexico and TLN Network.

Of course, this change appears to be very confusing for It Had To Be You and Love To Death because if you analyse the new schedule. You would find that It Had To Be You and Love To Death start almost an hour early at 15:00 WAT and 16:35 WAT respectively.

Fall Into Temptation comes on 10 minutes later at 18:10 WAT.

January 2026 On Nickelodeon And Nicktoons Across Europe And Africa | New Season Including Tyler Perry's Young Dylan | Returning Shows Including Max & The Midknights | More

Nickelodeon 

The Loud House - returning 

2026-01-27 9x08a Hologram Jam

2026-01-28 9x09b Sick as a Dad

2026-01-29 9x12a Swimming Fools

2026-01-30 9x12b Stage Combat

Tyler Perry's Young Dylan - new season

2026-01-05 5x01 The Wrap Battle - season premiere

2026-01-06 5x03 Sharing is Caring

2026-01-07 5x04 Yours, Mine, and Also Mine

2026-01-08 5x05 Really Young Nova

2026-01-09 5x10 Betting On Booder

2026-01-12 5x02 Red Tales

2026-01-13 5x06 Trippin'

2026-01-14 5x07 The New Kid

2026-01-15 5x08 Star-Crossed Lockers

2026-01-16 5x09 Keep It On The DL

2026-01-19 5x12 Dream Team

2026-01-20 5x13 Funcle - series finale

2026-01-21 5x11 Crush Groove

Nicktoons

* Please note that items listed in bold have already been broadcast in Africa 

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

2026-01-15 1x26a Insane in the Mama Train

2026-01-22 1x26b End Game - season finale

Bubble Guppies - new series, channel premiere

2026-01-04 3x22 The Running of the Bullfrogs!

2026-01-11 3x18 Swimtastic Check-Up!

2026-01-18 3x19 Gobble Gobble Guppies!

2026-01-25 3x21 Puddleball!

Dora the Explorer - new series, channel premiere

2026-01-02 8x07 Kittens in Mittens

2026-01-09 8x08 Dora's Great Roller Skate Adventure

2026-01-16 8x09 Dora's and Sparky's Riding Adventure!

2026-01-23 8x10 Dora's Museum Sleepover Adventure

2026-01-30 8x11 Dora's Ice Skating Spectacular

Harvey Beaks - new series, channel premiere

2026-01-07 2x19 Princess Wants a Mom / Rage Against the Michelle

2026-01-14 2x20 Break The Lake / The Amazing Harvey

2026-01-21 2x21 The Late Late Afternoon Show with Harvey Beaks / Grunicorn

2026-01-28 2x22 Photo Finished / Squashbuckling

Wallykazam! - new series, channel premiere

2026-01-07 1x14 Snow Place Like Home

2026-01-14 1x15 Play It Again, Stan

2026-01-21 1x16 A Tiny Problem

2026-01-28 1x17 The Switching Stone

Max & the Midknights - new season

2026-01-26 2x01 So Slayeth the Prophecy - season premiere

2026-01-27 2x02 Here Be Dragons

2026-01-28 2x03 Thoroughly Malevolent Millie

2026-01-29 2x04 Fens & Enemies

2026-01-30 2x05 Dark Knight of the Soul

Nella the Princess Knight - new series, channel premiere

2026-01-08 2x17 Cici Saves the Day / Big Little Rides

2026-01-15 2x18 Piece of Cake / Tale of Two Nellas

2026-01-22 2x19 The Queen's Court / Perfect Picture

2026-01-29 2x20 The Great Sparkle Quest / Twinkle Twinkle Family Vacation - series finale

Rusty Rivets - new series, channel premiere

2026-01-06 1x24 Rusty's Plant Predicament / Rusty's Beach Day Delay

2026-01-13 1x25 Rusty's Dancing Suit / Rusty Bee Good

2026-01-20 1x26 Robo Rusty / Rusty's Kitty Catastrophe - season finale

2026-01-27 1x01 Rusty's Rex Rescue / Rusty's Park N' Fly - season premiere

Planet Sheen - new series, channel premiere

2026-01-03 1x02 Is This Cute? / The Boy Next Dorkus

2026-01-10 1x03 What's Up Chock? / Joust Friends

2026-01-17 1x04 Sheen for a Day / Well Bread Man

2026-01-24 1x05 Cutting The Ultra-Cord / Trial By Jerry

2026-01-31 1x06 Keeping Up with the Gronzes / Torzilla

Shimmer and Shine - new series, channel premiere

2026-01-06 4x26 Zahra-Zkunked / The Sorcerenie - series finale

2026-01-13 4x01 Oceans Collide / Par-Tea Time - season premiere

2026-01-20 4x02 Welcome to Zahramay Skies

2026-01-27 4x03 Pets To The Rescue / Runaway Rainbow

Sonic Prime - new season, channel premiere

2026-01-12 3x01 Grim Tidings - season premiere

2026-01-13 3x02 Dome Sweet Dome

2026-01-14 3x03 No Escape

2026-01-15 3x04 Nine's Lives

2026-01-16 3x05 Home Sick Home

2026-01-19 3x06 The Devil is in the Tails

2026-01-20 3x07 From the Top - series finale

Top Wing - new series, channel premiere

2026-01-03 1x26 Flying Banana Bandits! / Penny's Chillin' Playdate - season finale

2026-01-10 1x01 Time to Earn Our Wings - season premiere

2026-01-17 1x02 Race Through Danger Canyon / Rod's Beary Brave Save

2026-01-24 1x03 Penny's Polar Bear Rescue / Shirley Squirrely Flies Away

2026-01-31 1x04 Lemon Pirates / Treasure Map Mission

Transformers: EarthSpark - new specials, channel premiere

2026-01-24 Hometown Heroes

2026-01-25 Legacy of Hope

Winx Club - new series, channel premiere

2026-01-07 6x23 The Anthem

2026-01-14 6x24 Legendary Duel

2026-01-21 6x25 Acheron

2026-01-28 6x26 Winx Forever - season finale