Netflix to Buy Warner Bros, CNN Parent Firm for $82.7bn as DStv, GOtv Set to Lose Channels
- Warner Bros has reached a deal with Netflix for a massive $82.7 billion acquisition
- Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s co-chief executive, said the merger would allow both companies to deepen their influence across film
- Industry analysts long speculated that Netflix was the frontrunner in the race to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery
Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
Netflix is preparing to make one of the biggest moves in entertainment history with its plan to acquire Warner Bros.
Discovery for an estimated $82.7 billion, including debt. The New York Times reports that the agreement, if approved, will bring one of Hollywood’s oldest studios under the control of a Silicon Valley streaming giant.
Source: Getty Images
The deal is expected to close by the third quarter of 2026.
Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s co-chief executive, said the merger would allow both companies to deepen their influence across film, television and global streaming markets.
He described the plan as an opportunity to “give audiences more of what they love” while shaping the next era of storytelling.
How Netflix overtook rivals in the bidding war
Industry analysts long speculated that Netflix was the frontrunner in the race to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. With more than 300 million subscribers worldwide and a dominant position in the streaming market, the company was seen as better equipped than competitors like Paramount and Comcast.
A key part of Netflix’s proposal was its commitment to preserving theatrical releases for major Warner Bros. productions.
This was notable because Netflix has traditionally prioritised streaming over cinema premieres. The concession reportedly strengthened the company’s position and helped secure the deal.
If regulators approve the acquisition, it will be the first time a major Hollywood studio is fully absorbed by a tech-driven entertainment firm. It marks another chapter in the ongoing shift from traditional media to digital platforms.
A new power shift in Hollywood
The acquisition represents a dramatic shift in Hollywood’s balance of power. Warner Bros. Discovery controls a vast library of franchises, including DC films, HBO originals, CNN, Adult Swim, Cartoon Network and major non-fiction brands like Discovery Channel.
Bringing these under Netflix would significantly expand its content catalogue and global reach.
Analysts believe the merger could change how premium content is produced, distributed and monetised.
It may also intensify competition among streaming giants, pushing rivals to seek their own mergers or strategic partnerships.
DStv and GOtv to lose 11 Warner Bros. Discovery Channels
While the deal is still awaiting regulatory approval, its ripple effects are already visible across global markets.
MultiChoice, owned by Canal+, has confirmed that its distribution agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery will end on December 31, 2025.
Source: Getty Images
As a result, 11 channels will exit the DStv and GOtv platforms. Notable channels affected include CNN International, Food Network and Cartoon Network.
The development signals a major content shakeup for millions of African households who depend on MultiChoice for news, entertainment and children’s programming.
What happens next
The coming months will determine how regulators in the United States and other markets respond to the scale of the acquisition.
If it moves forward, it will redefine the structure of global media, reshape content distribution worldwide and give Netflix an unprecedented footprint across film, news and entertainment.
TV station shuts down after 20 years
Legit.ng earlier reported that Paramount Africa has announced it will cease operations at the end of December 2025, bringing an end to the media company’s business in Nigeria and South Africa for nearly 20 years.
The broadcaster said the decision is part of a broader cost-cutting programme by parent company Paramount Global.
The company will shut down two popular channels, BET Africa and MTV Base, which will be removed from DStv and GOtv at 09:00 on 1 January 2026, Mybroadband reports
Source: Legit.ng
