MultiChoice Removes 7 Channels From DStv Premium as Showmax Shutdown Hits Subscribers
- DStv Premium faces another content cut, losing four more channels from September 2026
- MultiChoice shifts focus to affordable packages, impacting Premium subscriber value and benefits
- Loss of HBO content raises concerns over DStv's premium offering amid increased competition
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Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
MultiChoice is continuing to reshape its DStv offering, with Premium subscribers facing another round of content cuts that could further weaken the appeal of the platform’s most expensive package.
The broadcaster has announced that four more channels, M-Net Movies 1, KykNET Lekker, Mzansi Bioskop and Mzansi Music, will leave the DStv line-up from September 16, 2026.
Source: Getty Images
The latest removals take the number of channels lost by DStv Premium to seven this year. Earlier in 2026, subscribers also lost BET Africa, CBS Reality, CBS Justice and MTV Base after Paramount wound down its African linear television operations.
While the changes are partly linked to external licensing decisions, they have intensified concerns over the value subscribers receive from DStv’s premium tier.
Content cuts stretch beyond channels
The squeeze on Premium subscribers extends beyond the removal of individual channels.
MultiChoice has been cutting costs and reducing content licensing expenses as it seeks to improve profitability. One major casualty was the Winter Olympics, which SuperSport did not broadcast for the first time in more than a decade.
Although the event has not traditionally been one of the biggest attractions for South African audiences, its absence sent a wider signal that major sporting events may no longer automatically form part of the Premium proposition.
The change was initially associated with Canal+, which took control of MultiChoice in 2025. However, the company later clarified that the decision regarding the Olympics had been made before the acquisition was completed.
Premium subscribers also lost another significant benefit when MultiChoice shut down Showmax at the end of April 2026. The streaming service had previously provided a valuable free add-on for DStv Premium customers.
HBO loss adds to Premium concerns
The content squeeze deepened in June when major HBO and first-run Warner Bros. Discovery programmes disappeared from DStv packages following changes to licensing and distribution agreements.
The development was particularly significant for Premium subscribers because some of the affected programming had previously been available through channels associated with the top-tier package.
The loss of HBO content also carries historical significance. M-Net founder Koos Bekker had modelled the original M-Net channel on HBO when the service launched in 1986, making the relationship a long-standing part of the company’s television history.
Canal+ puts focus on affordable packages
Since Canal+ took over MultiChoice, the company appears to be placing greater emphasis on attracting lower-income and price-sensitive customers.
DStv Access, one of its more affordable packages, has received channels that were previously restricted to higher-priced bouquets. DStv has also expanded access to FIFA World Cup matches for customers on cheaper packages.
The strategy helped drive a significant increase in subscribers towards the end of the second quarter of 2026.
Source: AFP
MultiChoice has additionally increased decoder subsidies, potentially targeting households that lack reliable internet access or cannot afford broadband services suitable for streaming.
For Premium subscribers, however, the major new benefit has been limited to the ability to split bills between two subscribers, a feature available across DStv's customer base.
As MultiChoice continues its transformation under Canal+, the biggest question is whether Premium can retain its position as the company’s flagship offering while more value is being pushed towards cheaper packages.
Illegal DStv streaming platform shut down
Legit.ng earlier reported that authorities have dealt a major blow to an alleged illegal streaming operation accused of distributing premium DStv and GOtv content without authorisation, freezing millions of rand believed to have been generated from the scheme.
The development serves as another warning to individuals and businesses involved in the growing market for pirated television content, which continues to affect broadcasters and content creators across Africa, including Nigeria.
Source: Legit.ng
