DStv And Showmax Subscribers Bid Farewell To Euphoria And Peacemaker As Canal+'s Doesn't Renew Content Deal For HBO And Warner Bros.

Also Read

Last year, Canal+ and Warner Bros. Discovery created a media debacle when it was announced that Cartoon Network and 11 other channels would be removed from DStv. Paramount was already closing 4 other channels on the platform.

It was not until a last minute deal was reached where Canal+ thought of merging MultiChoice's contract with that of its operations in Europe. This deal included a possible rollout of HBO Max as Canal+ will be rolling it out in various markets.

Initially, it was reported by some outlets that this new agreement saved the licensing deals for M-Net and Showmax. But others were quick to spot it's sudden exclusion from this new agreement.

According to News24, this new agreement excluded premium TV series from HBO and Warner Bros. film and TV studios. This means DStv and Showmax consumers will be missing out on Game Of Thrones spinoff, A Knight Of Seven Kingdoms.

This is because Canal+ is busy slashing tires at MultiChoice with TLNovelas that is scheduled to close by 31 January 2026. 

MultiChoice had been losing subscribers with those numbers dropping from 17.3 million in 2023 to 14.5 million in 2025. This whole ordeal took a bigger plunge in some African markets particularly Kenya where cuts reached between 80% to 90%.

Canal+ is trying to put out a fire even if that means DStv and Showmax subscribers miss out on The White Lotus and House Of Dragons. As the French company deemed M-Net's agreement with Warner Bros. non viable.

As mentioned, MultiChoice has been losing DStv consumers and their premium market has been under siege post the pandemic.

M-Net has been the glue to the DStv Premium structure but with massive cord cutting seen in the United States and elsewhere. One channel alone isn't enough to entice viewers to subscribe especially if they're more affordable options.

That doesn't mean the loss of The White Lotus and The Glided Age won't impact M-Net's remaining viewers immensely as this will just lead to even more cord cutting for DStv.

Canal+ has been boasting about being a super aggregator and the plan is to have HBO Max funnel all this content. The problem is that for linear viewers that aren't streaming it only leads to even lesser content.

HBO Max's parent company is currently undergoing a takeover process by Netflix and should the deal succeed all this content will likely be made exclusive to the streamer.

Reminder: Paula S1 (Monday – Wednesday @ 21:00, Starts 19 January 2026) On SABC 3 (S3)

Also Read

Synopsis: – Paula and James are worlds apart. They might both live in Dublin, but Paula is a respected teacher, whereas James scratches out a living doing maintenance jobs and stealing from his mother. When Paula hears strange scuttling noises in her basement, she hires James to exterminate the rats and silence her fears. The two share a frenzied and fateful one-night stand. Paula is quickly pulled into a vicious game of cat and mouse. James seems to lurk on every street corner and behind every shadow – along with looming ghosts and silent children, buried shame and harrowing secrets. As James’ grip strengthens, Paula’s ‘normal’ life shatters. She is forced to dig deep, and access the darkest depths of her soul, in a battle to survive.

Episode Highlights

Episode 1 – Monday, 19 January 2026

Paula is trying to end an affair with the handsome but married teacher Philip, which hasn’t gone unnoticed by the headmaster. If that wasn’t enough, she discovers a rat infestation in her basement. Paula asks handyman James to sort out the problem. There is an instant spark of animal attraction between the two, leading to a passionate one-night stand. Everything is not as it seems with James, with too many mouths to feed at home he is desperate for money. The pressure is on him, and since meeting Paula something seems to be haunting James…. Having learnt about the affair he tries to blackmail Philip. Things go terrifyingly wrong when he flies into a rage.

Episode 2 – Tuesday, 20 January 2026

Paula struggles to come to terms with Philip’s death and Mac’s superior seems determined to believe that it was suicide. Paula notices some things missing from her home and starts to believe that James was involved in Philip’s death somehow, she enlists Mac’s help. James meanwhile is trying to cope living with two warring women; Crystal accuses Morgan of speaking to the police and reacts violently. James fears that the police are closing in on him and his hallucinations are getting worse. He goes on the run. Paula again is trying to cope with her brother’s alcoholism and is having nightmares herself.

Episode 3 – Wednesday, 21 January 2026

Mac tries to recover from the attack but faces fierce repercussions at work. Meanwhile James is facing charges. Determinedly Mac continues to dig into James’ past, discovering that he had a troubling start to life. As if things couldn’t get any worse for Paula, she faced with the awful reality that Callum may never fully recover. She and Mac continue to get closer, but she is haunted by the image of James coming after her. When he is released, she faces him once more, but this time she is prepared for a fight.

 

DStv In Trouble. Netflix Obtains Global Rights To Sony Group Films Including Spider-Man And Jumanji

Also Read

Netflix obtained global streaming rights to Sony Group’s films after they complete their run in theatres and pay-per-view, adding releases from one of Hollywood’s biggest studios.

A multiyear agreement announced on Thursday (Jan 15) expands a partnership the companies struck in 2021. That accord gave Netflix US rights to show Sony films after their theatrical release and after they are available for online purchase or rental, as well as rights in Germany and parts of Asia.

Sony Pictures will gradually start appearing on Netflix globally later this year as individual territory rights become available, the companies said in a statement, with the rollout complete by early 2029. As part of the deal, Netflix will also be able to license select films and TV series from Sony’s library, which includes hit franchises such as Spider-Man and Jumanji. 

The deal is worth roughly US$7 billion and runs till 2032, according to sources familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named as the terms are not public. It beefs up Netflix’s lineup of theatrical pictures, a slate that could grow even more if the streaming company acquires the studio operations of Warner Bros Discovery. It’s vying with Paramount Skydance with duelling bids for Warner Bros.

In 2024, Netflix expanded a deal with Comcast’s NBCUniversal, adding rights to stream live-action films to an agreement for animated pictures from the studio’s DreamWorks Animation and Illumination divisions. 

Starting in 2027, the live-action films from Universal Pictures and Focus Features, which include franchises such as Fast & Furious and Jurassic Park, will appear on Netflix “no later than eight months following theatrical release”, the companies said at the time.

DStv Needs To Be Restructured

Also Read

Rationality is realising that gone are the days when DStv could offer a bouquet of entertainment from across the world. As suppliers and consumers shift their focus to online viewing further reducing the portfolio for linear consumers.

In general, there's nothing wrong with DStv if it offered more Zee World than HBO content as that's where most consumers reside. It's not that House Of Dragons and The White Lotus aren't superb but most would rather pay for this if it were on Showmax.

If Canal+ is hoping to scale up on subscriber count through its MultiChoice buyout the only best option would be rethinking how content gets packaged.

The premium market needed to be restructured even before the pandemic. Consumers haven't gotten anything worthwhile outside of sports and what little is left is being duplicated and becoming more accessible on cheaper packages.

MultiChoice initially offered DStv Select 1 and 2 in South Africa and from what I recall it's active in few African markets. Think of DStv Easyview but with only the must haves of DStv but expensive which is M-Net, KykNET, BBC Earth and SS Grandstand.

This is something I believe needs to be revived somehow then there's the other which is a standalone sports package or add-on.

SuperSport takes a very large audience share within DStv while eMedia, SABC and even Netflix can offer select sporting events. SuperSport continues to offer the whole enchilada from Premier League, NBA, La Liga, WWE and Moto GP.

Canal+ you could try to offer a promotions to consumers who wish to see select sporting events.

Getting back to the packages, MultiChoice had explored an entertainment only package maybe split this offering into two separate packages. One package carries premium networks like Mzansi Magic while the other has Mzansi Wethu.

Existing Threat Awaiting SuperSport And DStv Customers

Also Read

In 2024, it was reported Netflix had acquired global rights to WWE's catalogue which include Raw, SmackDown, NXT and live PPVs like Summerslam. As of last year, it has been streaming in the US, UK, Canada and various other international markets.

At the time, SuperSport had confirmed that they remain the exclusive home to WWE's offering across Africa. Of course, this multi-year agreement between both parties was finalised back in 2022 and will conclude sometime in 2027.

If anyone remembers how Disney+ panned out, you had various countries in Europe and other parts of the world awaiting for the streaming service. This was because of existing agreements with other broadcasters.

Then when that fell through it opened up the doors for Disney+.

This is what is expected to happen with SuperSport once their current agreement for WWE expires. You won't have a 24 hour channel for old PPVs, Mzansi Magic and all other SuperSport channels will no longer have live broadcasts to Crown Jewel.

MultiChoice is less likely to replicate WWE and even if that were to be the case it's likely to end up like TNA Wrestling on e.tv. The only logical option would be bulking up the offering on SuperSport Action in the event WWE ceases to exist.

If I'm being honest here, SuperSport has a lot going for itself despite existing threats in the market. To some extent, recovery is possible for them unlike DStv which has seen more content being taken away without alternatives in place.

Maybe I'm exaggerating here and WWE continues through 2030 on SuperSport but if you read between the lines. This deal is sort of being built up like that of Disney+ were some things SuperSport can't prevent from occuring happen.