by Thinus Ferreira
Paramount Africa is shutting down 31 December 2025 as part of dramatic Paramount Skydance corporate downsizing, ending its localised Africa operations after more than two decades, with linear TV channels BET Africa, MTV Base as well as CBS Justice and CBS Reality run by CBS AMC Networks International also shutting down at the end of the year.
All four TV channels will go dark on 31 December on DStv run by Canal+'s MultiChoice in South Africa as well as across the Rest of Africa (RoA) territory and its Bryanston head office in Johannesburg is closing down.
In July, Craig Paterson, Paramount Africa senior vice president and general manager, as well as Monde Twala, senior vice-president and general manager of Paramount Africa and lead of BET International, told Paramount Africa staff that Paramount is considering shutting down local operations in Africa as the company "evaluates its pay-TV strategy and local channel footprint here in Africa".
Paramount Africa (then Viacom International Media Networks Africa or VIMN Africa) launched BET Africa (DStv 129) a decade ago in April 2015 to bring African audiences a localised version of "Black Entertainment Television".
As previously reported, it will burn off episodes later this month of its last original, the South African telenovela Black Gold from Black Brain Pictures, to amortise what's left of its final local production before BET Africa is gone for good.
MTV Base was launched 20 years ago in South Africa in February 2005 and grew to split into three distinct channel feeds for West Africa and East Africa.
MultiChoice in response to a media query told TVwithThinus "MultiChoice can confirm that BET Africa and MTV Base will be discontinued on the DStv and GOtv platforms from 1 January 2026 at 9:00 CAT, following updates from our channel partner, Paramount. Our customers can continue to enjoy other international channels from Paramount, including Nickelodeon, NickToons, Nick Jr., Comedy Central, and MTV."
"We thank Paramount for their continued partnership and look forward to working with them on the remaining channel offering."
The CBS Reality (DStv 132) and CBS Justice (DStv 170) channels on DStv are also getting axed.
CBS Reality (previously Zone Reality) was added to DStv in November 2001. CBS Justice was added to DStv in November 2019.
"In response to a media query, MultiChoice says "MultiChoice confirms that CBS Reality and CBS Justice will be leaving the DStv platform on 31 December 2025 at 23:59 SAST."
"Following a strategic review, CBS AMC Networks EMEA Channels Partnership – the owner of CBS Reality and CBS Justice – has decided to close both channels."
"We thank CBS for their continued partnership and look forward to working with them in future. Customers can continue to enjoy a wide range of local and international reality and investigative content across our bouquet of channels."
Paramount Africa, in response to a media query, told TVwithThinus "Paramount is adjusting its international pay-TV strategy in response to industry-wide changes and evolving audience habits".
It said that "Paramount is proud of the legacy these channels have built and thanks their viewers and partners for their support over the years."
