DStv subscribers are facing more channel changes under new owner CANAL+ as the French media giant pushes ahead with an aggressive cost-cutting strategy following its takeover of MultiChoice.
Industry analysts say content rationalisation is expected to continue after DStv already lost several international channels in 2026, raising concerns that additional channels could disappear if carriage agreements are not renewed.
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CANAL+, which completed its takeover of MultiChoice sometime in 2025, has made it clear that improving profitability is a priority.
According to reports, the company is targeting hundreds of millions of rands in cost savings, with content expenditure expected to be one of the biggest areas under review.
CANAL+ removes popular channels
The first signs of the new strategy emerged at the beginning of 2026 when DStv removed four Paramount-owned channels:
- BET Africa
- MTV Base
- CBS Reality
- CBS Justice
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The channels were discontinued after their distribution agreements expired. It has now been reported that four more channels are getting axed in September. These include:
- M-Net Movies 1
- kykNET Lekker
- Mzansi Bioskop
- Mzansi Music
𝗧𝗮-𝘁𝗮. MultiChoice will dump both @MNet‘s @mnetmovies M-Net Movies 1 (DStv 104) and the @kykNETtv kykNET Lekker (DStv 148) TV channels from @DStv on 16 September:https://t.co/ZWNzDe2ZbC pic.twitter.com/lr0GYYi139
— TVwithThinus (@TVwithThinus) August 7, 2026
𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚. Canal+’s @canalplus @DStv is dumping @MNet‘s Mzansi Bioskop (DStv 164) and Mzansi Music (DStv 321) channels both on 16 September, and I’m told more channel cuts are coming. It’s also exactly what I told several people at start-2026 is coming. pic.twitter.com/jbW2qtmQst
— TVwithThinus (@TVwithThinus) August 6, 2026
Regarding the shutdown of these four additional channels, MultiChoice said it was optimising its channel line-up.
“As viewing habits continue to change, MultiChoice is refining the DStv channel line-up to match.”
A spokesperson for LicenceCo said, “Rather than spreading similar content across many channels, we’re concentrating on fewer, stronger channels, giving subscribers a cleaner, easier-to-navigate line-up and a better viewing experience overall.”
For DStv customers, this means channel line-ups could continue to evolve over the coming months. While some international channels may disappear if licensing deals expire, they could also be replaced by CANAL+-owned content or new regional programming.
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