DStv Loses 12 Channels in 2024, Adds Only One Exclusive to Premium Packages

In 2024, DStv made significant changes to its channel lineup, cutting 12 channels while adding only one new channel, which is exclusively available to its two most expensive packages. The latest channel removal occurred on 31 August 2024, with the termination of PBS Kids.

MultiChoice is adjusting its channel offerings based on viewership data and content appeal to enhance the quality of its DStv and GOtv services. The recent removals primarily involved niche channels that did not rank among the top 20 most-watched titles, as indicated by the Broadcasting Research Council of South Africa. These changes reflect the company’s commitment to meeting customer needs.

This year’s balance between channel additions and removals is notably different from previous years. In 2023, for example, DStv added two channels and removed only one, while in 2022, it dropped four channels and added seven. However, 2024 has seen far more removals than additions.

This year, DStv introduced only one new channel, 1Max, which features content from the Showmax streaming service and is accessible exclusively to Premium and Compact Plus subscribers. Consequently, these subscribers have experienced a net loss of 11 channels, while others have lost 12. Notably, these changes occurred without significant public announcements or notifications to customers, although veteran broadcasting journalist Thinus Ferreira has been monitoring the situation closely.

MultiChoice is also engaged in a legal battle with eMedia, seeking to remove four of its channels from DStv bouquets. The Competition Tribunal has temporarily blocked this move, siding with eMedia, which argues that DStv’s parent company is abusing its market dominance in violation of the Competition Act. The Tribunal ruled that the balance of convenience strongly favors eMedia, citing the potential damage to eMedia’s advertising revenue as a more significant issue than any potential harm to MultiChoice.

Skeptics of MultiChoice’s argument that it needs to free up bandwidth to add new channels may find it curious that the broadcaster has only introduced one channel despite cutting 12. One possibility is that DStv is preparing to upgrade some of its channels to 4K resolution or to launch standalone 4K channels, which require much more bandwidth.

The table below summarizes the channel changes on DStv from January to August 2024:

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