{"id":671181,"date":"2026-10-07T17:13:07","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T15:13:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/?p=671181"},"modified":"2026-10-07T17:33:53","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T15:33:53","slug":"dstv-cutting-5-channels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/broadcasting\/671181-dstv-cutting-5-channels.html","title":{"rendered":"DStv cutting 5 channels"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Pay-TV giant MultiChoice is removing five channels from its optional Add Indian package for DStv customers, effective 31 October 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The broadcaster notified Add Indian package customers of the change in an email on 30 September 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe are refining the DStv channel lineup to better match how our customers watch and enjoy content,\u201d the email said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cRather than spreading similar content across many channels, we&#8217;re focusing on fewer, stronger channels to create a simpler viewing experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a result of these changes, five channels in the R280 add-on would be removed by the end of this month, namely:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>SET Asia (Channel 450)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Zee TV (Channel 452)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SET Max (Channel 457)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Zee Cinema (Channel 460)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>WION (Channel 461)&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Following the shutdown at the end of October, the add-on will only have three channels: Star Plus (Channel 453), Star Vijay (Channel 455), and Colors TV (Channel 456).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYour Add Indian add-on remains available in South Africa, and you&#8217;ll continue to enjoy Indian entertainment,\u201d MultiChoice said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe appreciate your continued support as we evolve our offering. We&#8217;re committed to providing quality entertainment and even better value.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>DStv first introduced the \u201cIndian Bouquet\u201d in 2001 and has since restructured and rebranded the package several times to keep up with changing viewer dynamics and demands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2015, the broadcaster <a href=\"https:\/\/teeveetee.blogspot.com\/2015\/09\/multichoice-combines-dstv-indian-add-on.html\">combined its DStv North Indian and South Indian packages<\/a> into a single R319-per-month Indian package, which could also be purchased as an add-on for an extra R205 per month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the time of its combination, then MultiChoice COO Mark Rayner said that South Africa\u2019s Indian community was very important to the broadcaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This combined package contained eight channels, which have undergone changes and rebrandings since then. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In feedback on the change, MultiChoice told MyBroadband that it was concentrating on fewer, stronger channels, giving subscribers a cleaner, easier-to-navigate line-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It said this would lead to a better viewing experience for subscribers, and they could still access Indian-inspired entertainment through the three remaining channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Movie-lovers who have the Add Movies subscription will still have access to Hollywood\u2019s latest blockbusters on M-Movies+ and M-Movies Stars,&#8221; MultiChoice said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reduced price offer coming soon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/DStv-Add-Indian-email-1200x675.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-671182\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/DStv-Add-Indian-email-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/DStv-Add-Indian-email-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/DStv-Add-Indian-email-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/DStv-Add-Indian-email-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/DStv-Add-Indian-email.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Screenshot of email received by Add Indian package subscribers on 30 September 2026. Image credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/photo?fbid=1615196323951708&amp;set=a.333400218797998\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ashlen Govender<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>While the email did not confirm whether the add-on price would change as the channels are reduced, MultiChoice said it would provide details about a reduced-price offer \u201csoon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The cutting of five channels from the Add Indian add-on followed <a href=\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/broadcasting\/667934-all-the-details-about-dstvs-new-packages.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the biggest change to the DStv bouquet offering<\/a> in over two decades.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>DStv\u2019s operating company in South Africa announced sweeping changes for subscribers on 7 September 2026 amid a product restructure almost a year after it was acquired by France\u2019s Canal+.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The restructure saw DStv Compact customers migrated to DStv Sports, which remained priced at R399 per month for a streaming-only service.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It includes more sports content, alongside all the entertainment content that DStv Compact offered prior to the shift.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Subscribers to this package also received access to Wethu+, a new mega-channel which combines content from Mzansi Wethu, Mzansi Magic, Bioskop Movies, and select PSL fixtures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>DStv also introduced a new Movies &amp; Series package designed for TV fans who want premium entertainment without the focus on sports.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The package gives subscribers access to channels such as M-Net, kykNET, M-Net Movies+, and BBC Earth, featuring top lifestyle shows and blockbuster movies. It costs R500 per month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>DStv also retained its entry-level EasyView package, which gives subscribers access to over 30 channels for R30 per month, including TNT Africa, E-tv Extra, SuperSport Blitz, and Moja 99.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Premium package also remained untouched. The full breakdown of DStv&#8217;s new packages is shown in the table below. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><div class=\"table-responsive\"><table class=\"table\" class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Old package<\/th><th>New package<\/th><th>Streaming price<\/th><th>Decoder price<\/th><th>Channels<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>DStv Access<\/td><td><strong>DStv Starter<\/strong><\/td><td>R99<\/td><td>R150<\/td><td>Wethu+, kykNet &amp; kie, SuperSport KICKOFF, SportyTV, M-Net Legends<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>DStv Family<\/td><td><strong>DStv Select<\/strong><\/td><td>R299<\/td><td>R339<\/td><td>Mzansi Magic, CNN, Nickelodeon, plus everything on Starter<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>DStv Compact<\/td><td><strong>DStv Sports<\/strong><\/td><td>R399<\/td><td>R479<\/td><td>SuperSport PSL, Premier League, Football, La Liga, and 12 more, Wethu+, M-Net Stars, BBC Brit<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>NEW<\/td><td><strong>DStv Movies &amp; Series<\/strong><\/td><td>R500<\/td><td>R500<\/td><td>M-Net, M-Net Movies+, kykNET, BBC Brit, Wethu+, BBC Lifestyle, Disney Channel<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>DStv Compact+<\/td><td><em>Grandfathered<\/em><\/td><td>R549<\/td><td>R649<\/td><td>Customers can no longer switch to or take up this package.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>DStv Premium<\/td><td><strong>DStv Premium<\/strong><\/td><td>R799<\/td><td>R979<\/td><td>Full DStv channel catalogue<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DStv is reducing the number of channels available on one of its oldest add-on packages to three. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":341213,"featured_media":666344,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sma_x_autopost_status":"posted","_sma_x_autopost_error":"","_sma_x_post_id":"2107851964797104368","_sma_facebook_post_id":"120850204637381_1522553439896634","_sma_instagram_post_id":"18128679221309981","_sma_threads_post_id":"18336660355275913","_sma_x_attempts":1,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[107919,21383,85,2546,475],"class_list":["post-671181","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-broadcasting","tag-add-indian","tag-canal","tag-dstv","tag-mark-rayner","tag-multichoice"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/671181"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/341213"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=671181"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/671181\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":671221,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/671181\/revisions\/671221"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/666344"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=671181"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=671181"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=671181"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}