Broadcasting
MultiChoice Panics, Warns of Dangers of Ending Exclusive Rights
MultiChoice, owners of DStv and GOtv, has warned of damage that can result from the federal government’s decision to end exclusive rights to broadcast major sporting events in the country, according to Gadget.
Recall that Alhaji Lai Mohammed, minister of Information and Culture, had in January, said, he had instructed the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to implement a regulation mandating exclusive licensees and broadcasters to share exclusive rights with other broadcasters.
The intention, as reported by Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, was to break up a broadcasting monopoly in order to “boost reach and maximise utilisation by all Nigeria’s broadcasters of quality content, in order to grow their respective platforms and investment in more content”.
According to our earlier report, “With the new directive, Nigeria’s TV viewers, especially lovers of sports, may come to witness an end to MultiChoice’s monopoly on the live airing of major sporting events,”
The clear target is MultiChoice, which has a monopoly on the broadcast of English Premier League football matches.
These rights are regarded as the crown jewel for MultiChoice across Africa, as it is one major – and immensely popular – feature that cannot be offered by streaming video-on-demand services at this stage.
However, MultiChoice has pointed out that investment in sports rights has a massive impact on the sports economy.
“The investment in sports provides substantial revenues for national sporting bodies, which sustain thousands of jobs throughout the value chain,” Joe Heshu, MultiChoice group executive for corporate affairs , told Gadget.
“The sports economy enables the discovery of talent on and off the field, develops infrastructure, and uplifts communities. The African sports economy is largely funded through the sale of broadcasting rights.”
While the company has not responded publicly to the government statement, it is clear that intensive lobbying is taking place behind the scenes.
“MultiChoice routinely deals with regulatory matters in markets on the African continent where we have a presence,” said Heshu.
“We are aware of the statement by the Nigerian Minister of Information and Culture regarding recommendations to the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on proposed amendments to the NBC Code. We are guided by and complying with the current NBC Code and the Copyright Laws.”
Heshu said the regulator had not informed MultiChoice directly about the move.
“The NBC is the independent regulator that regulates the industry in the public interest and we have not received any indications from the regulator on this matter. We will continue to constructively engage the authorities in Nigeria in the interest of providing a thriving broadcasting sector.”
Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has announced the postponement of its maiden annual Public Relations, Reputation, Ideas, Concepts and Excellence (PRICE) Awards and Prizes to January 25, 2026.
NIPR
The event, earlier scheduled for December 7, 2025, was deferred to accommodate stakeholders whose observance of Christmas festivities had commenced earlier than expected.
Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mr. Israel Opayemi, urged stakeholders to note the new date and prepare to participate in the ceremony.
He said the awards would motivate professionals, practitioners and scholars, while enhancing Nigeria’s global competitiveness in the public relations ecosystem and strengthening brand equity for all stakeholders.
Opayemi reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to delivering a best-in-class award administration and ceremony, describing the PRICE Awards as a credible and enduring platform to identify, celebrate and elevate outstanding individuals, campaigns and organisations shaping the public relations landscape across sectors.
The development of the PRICE Awards peaked in September 2025 when the NIPR President and Chairman, Council, Dr. Ike Neliaku, inaugurated a 12-man committee to organise the maiden edition. The inauguration followed the Council’s adoption of the report of a technical team tasked with establishing the awards.
Netflix has announced a landmark agreement to acquire Warner Bros. and HBO Max in a transaction valued at $82.7 billion, a move analysts say will reshape the global entertainment industry.
Netflix
The deal, which includes Warner Bros.’ film and television studios, HBO, HBO Max, and Warner Bros. Games, was unanimously approved by the boards of both companies. Under the terms, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) shareholders will receive $23.25 in cash and $4.50 in Netflix shares for each WBD share.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos described the acquisition as “a defining moment” for the streaming giant, noting that the company intends to maintain Warner Bros.’ current operations while expanding its production capacity.
“By combining Warner Bros.’ incredible library of shows and movies with Netflix’s culture-defining titles, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling,” Sarandos said.
The transaction is expected to close within 12 to 18 months, following the planned spin-off of WBD’s TV networks division, Discovery Global, in 2026. Netflix projects annual cost savings of $2–3 billion by the third year after completion and expects the deal to be accretive to earnings per share by year two.
Industry groups, including the Directors Guild of America and Cinema United, have raised concerns about the impact on movie theaters, while regulators are expected to scrutinize the deal over antitrust issues. Netflix has pledged to continue supporting theatrical releases, with Warner Bros.’ cinema commitments running through 2029.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav hailed the agreement, saying it “combines two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world to bring to even more people the entertainment they love.”
Observers note that the acquisition comes 15 years after former Time Warner chief Jeff Bewkes dismissed Netflix as “the Albanian army,” underscoring the dramatic shift in the entertainment landscape.
A major shake‑up rocks viewers and subscribers of DSTV/GOTV as many channels are set to shut down and be removed on January 1, 2026.
The trigger for the upcoming shut‑down is a breakdown in negotiations between the owners of multiple global channels and the pay‑TV operator.
As of December 2025, the deal between Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and DStv/GOtv has expired and the two parties have not reached a renewal agreement.
Without a new carriage/distribution agreement, the channels belonging to WBD risk being pulled off the DStv/GOtv line‑up.
This is the most significant content cutback the service has seen in years.
The affected channels are:
Discovery Channel
TLC
Cartoonito
Cartoon Network
CNN International
Food Network
The Travel Channel
TNT
Investigation Discovery
Real Time
HGTV
Discovery Family
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