By the 17th January, 2024, two more TV channels will no longer be available on DStv, as MultiChoice has lost access to Germany’s Deutsche Welle and the religious TV channel, Emmanuel TV owned by late Prophet T.B.Joshua, founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations.
Deutsche Welle (DStv 446) ceased its linear TV channel broadcasting on December 30th, 2023. This development reflects the growing threats and pressures faced by linear TV channels and traditional pay-TV bundles, as distributors and operators shift away from this business model. Consequently, the number of available linear TV channels for pay TV has started to decline globally.
In March, 2023, Deutsche Welle announced the closure of its linear broadcasting service in order to redirect resources and funding towards its digital services and participate in the digital transformation of its German international service.
Peter Limbourg, the director-general of Deutsche Welle, emphasized the need for precautionary decisions to avoid more challenging circumstances in 2024. He also acknowledged the significant challenge posed by the dynamic digital transformation, particularly among younger, digitally-savvy audiences who primarily consume content through digital platforms, especially in Africa and Asia.
MultiChoice responded to media inquiries by expressing regret over Deutsche Welle’s decision to terminate the channel on all platforms, including DStv, worldwide, effective December 30th, 2023.
Additionally, the highly viewed Emmanuel TV (DStv 390), a religious TV channel, announced its departure from MultiChoice’s DStv and GOTV, as well as other pay-TV services, effective January 17th, 2024.
MultiChoice confirmed that Emmanuel TV would no longer be available on DStv and GOtv packages starting from January 17th, 2024.
Emmanuel TV, founded by the late televangelist TB Joshua in Nigeria in 2006, gained popularity and expanded its reach through its YouTube channel, which became one of the most subscribed Christian ministry YouTube channels globally.
However, in April 2021, YouTube shut down the channel due to “gay curing” claims, as it violated policies against alleging mental illness, disease, or inferiority based on membership in a protected group, including sexual orientation.
Consequently, Emmanuel TV had to start over on YouTube, and some of its posts were also removed by Facebook for the same reasons.
Following TB Joshua’s passing in June 2021, Emmanuel TV has relied heavily on rebroadcasting old content and repeats of the late televangelist’s programmes, producing less new content compared to the prolific scale during Joshua’s lifetime.
It was gathered that the new management at the Synagogue Church of All Nations led by the wife of the late founder, Pastor Evelyn Joshua, are facing numerous challenges following the inability of the new management to fully step into the shoes of the great Prophet T.B.Joshua.
Though the new management seems to be trying their best to revive the church after the demise of Prophet Joshua through various programmes to win back their lost members and equally win new members, that has not been achieved yet.