Mbabane – DStv subscribers in the Kingdom of Eswatini will continue to access 12 popular television channels after Canal Plus reached a last minute agreement with Warner Bros Discovery on Wednesday, just hours before the channels were due to be removed from the platform.
The agreement affects customers across Eswatini and the wider African market who were facing the loss of channels such as CNN International, Discovery Channel and Cartoon Network from 1 January 2026.
MultiChoice had informed subscribers last month through a push notification on its app that the channels would be discontinued following the takeover of the company by Canal Plus Group. The notice explained that the carriage agreement with Warner Bros Discovery had reached a deadlock, placing 12 thematic channels at risk of termination.
The development triggered frustration among DStv customers in Eswatini and neighbouring countries, with many calling for subscription fee reductions should the channels be removed. Families, news followers and documentary viewers were among those most concerned about the possible changes to the bouquet.
On Wednesday, Canal Plus announced that it had secured a new multi year agreement with Warner Bros Discovery covering several territories, including South Africa, the rest of Africa and parts of Europe where Canal Plus operates.
According to Canal Plus, the expanded agreement includes the distribution of HBO Max as well as the renewal of several Warner Bros Discovery thematic channels across multiple regions. The deal also ensures the continued distribution of the 12 channels across MultiChoice Group territories, with some offered on an exclusive basis.
The channels retained on DStv include Discovery Channel, CNN International, TLC, Discovery Family, Real Time, TNT Africa, Food Network, HGTV, Investigation Discovery, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito and Travel Channel.
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