MultiChoice, a CANAL+ company, has secured the distribution rights to 12 Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) thematic channels under a new multi-year, multi-territory agreement between CANAL+ Group and Warner Bros. Discovery.
Gatekeepers News reports that the agreement, disclosed on Friday, covers several regions across Africa and Europe and also includes the distribution of HBO Max alongside the renewal of selected WBD channels. The deal marks a significant expansion of the long-standing partnership between CANAL+ Group and Warner Bros. Discovery, strengthening content offerings across MultiChoice territories.
What MultiChoice Says
MultiChoice stated that the new agreement builds on earlier European partnerships.
“It builds on the landmark agreements concluded in France in 2024, including the renewal of the exclusive pay-TV window for Warner Bros. Pictures films just six months after their theatrical release in France, and the integration of HBO Max within select CANAL+ Group offers,” the company said.
The agreement also builds on a prior deal signed in Poland in 2025, which renewed the distribution of 22 thematic channels, including TVN 24 and Eurosport, and four free-to-air channels, including TVN.
Channel Distribution Details
Under the renewed arrangement, MultiChoice will continue to distribute 12 WBD thematic channels across its markets, with a mix of exclusive and non-exclusive offerings:
- CNN International and Cartoon Network remain exclusive to South Africa but are distributed non-exclusively in other territories.
- Cartoon Network Porto is exclusive in Angola and Mozambique but non-exclusive elsewhere.
- Other channels, including Discovery Channel, TLC, HGTV, Food Network, TNT Africa, Travel, Investigation Discovery (ID), and Cartoonito, will be offered on a non-exclusive basis across MultiChoice territories.
Background
In December 2025, reports emerged that DStv subscribers might lose access to 12 major WBD channels, including CNN, Discovery Channel, and Cartoon Network, from January 1, 2026, if MultiChoice and WBD failed to reach a new distribution agreement.
At the time, MultiChoice warned customers via email that the existing carriage agreement would expire on December 31, 2025.
“While discussions between the parties continue, no agreement has been reached at this stage. If this remains unchanged, a number of Warner Bros. Discovery channels may no longer be available on DStv from 1 January 2026,” the company said.
The renewal of the agreement now ensures that MultiChoice retains the rights to these channels, bringing relief to its subscribers in Nigeria and across other markets.
