Barely a month after completing its acquisition of MultiChoice, French media giant Canal+ is wasting no time in reshaping the future of DStv. The company is rolling out an ambitious new strategy that blends nostalgia, affordability, and European flair to reignite Africa’s biggest pay-TV brand.
A Response to Decline
The shake-up comes after years of subscriber and revenue decline for MultiChoice. Over the last two financial years, the company lost 2.8 million active linear subscribers, including 1.2 million (8%) in the 2025 financial year alone, split evenly between South Africa and the rest of the continent.
Rising subscription costs, intensifying competition from global streaming services, and Africa’s increasingly hybrid pay-TV landscape have all contributed to these losses. With over 560 streaming platforms now operating across the continent, DStv’s traditional model has been under mounting pressure.
Canal+ and MultiChoice are marking DStv’s 30th anniversary with a major customer appreciation campaign. From November 7–9, 2025, all active DStv decoder users will enjoy an “Open Time Weekend”, granting free access to DStv Premium content.
The campaign revives familiar faces from South Africa’s television past, including Ashley Hayden, Scot Scott, and Doreen Morris, the same presenters who introduced M-Net’s original Open Time in the 1990s.
“DStv has grown up alongside its viewers,” said Byron du Plessis, CEO of SA PayTV. “For three decades, we’ve been part of South Africans’ homes, weekends, and memories.”
In addition, MultiChoice is cutting the price of its HD decoders by 30% at retail outlets and over 40% via its new online store starting November 1. The move aims to reconnect lapsed subscribers and lower the cost of entry amid fierce competition from Netflix, Showmax, and Disney+.
DStv Premium subscribers are also getting more for their money. The company will temporarily expand access to four simultaneous streams (up from two) until December. Its revamped Rewards Programme now includes BoxOffice rentals, event invitations, celebrity meet-and-greets, and VIP sports experiences.
Meanwhile, SuperSport has added France’s Ligue 1 to its lineup through a new Canal+-enabled partnership. African audiences will now enjoy up to three matches per weekend featuring clubs like PSG, Marseille, Lyon, and Monaco, a strategic nod to the continent’s deep love for football.
“Broadcasting a prestigious league such as Ligue 1 only adds to the value our subscribers receive,” said Rendani Ramovha, SuperSport’s Director of English Sport Content.
Canal+ is also ramping up local and international content production.
“We create about 4,000 hours of African content each year in up to 15 languages,” said David Mignot, CEO of Canal+ Africa. “Together with MultiChoice’s 6,000 hours, we’ll deliver 10,000 hours annually across 20 to 35 languages.”
The long-term goal: build a 100,000-hour library within 10–15 years and expand its reach through dubbing and rescripting to cross linguistic barriers.
One Platform to Rule Them All
In a bold integration move, Canal+ plans to launch a super app that merges Canal+, DStv, GOtv, and Showmax content under a single login, creating what CEO Maxime Saada describes as “a seamless entertainment ecosystem.”
The company is also exploring its content aggregator model for Africa, offering bundled discounts with third-party platforms like Netflix, Apple TV+, HBO Max, and Paramount+, similar to its European offering.
As Canal+ takes charge, the message is clear: Africa’s pay-TV leader is entering a new chapter, one that reimagines the old DStv magic for a digital-first, price-sensitive generation without losing sight of its legacy.
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