NBCUniversal To Lay Off Employees As African Streaming Platform Showmax, Which Was Co-Operated By The Company, Shuts Down – AfroTech
NBCUniversal is announcing a round of layoffs.
Layoffs Explained
Business Insider reports that nearly 12 U.S.-based employees on the global streaming product team will be laid off, in addition to dozens more who could be impacted internationally, according to an employee. For those who will be laid off internationally, a consultation process is expected, per another source, the outlet noted.
The two individuals said the layoffs will specifically affect employees who worked at the South African streamer Showmax, which has released works including “Spinners,” “Catch Me a Killer,” and “Khaki Fever.” The platform had “substantial annual losses,” according to Deadline.
Showmax Being Shutdown
Showmax was co-operated by NBCUniversal and French broadcaster Canal+. This came after a $2 billion deal in September 2025 for Canal+ to acquire Showmax parent company MultiChoice, according to a separate Deadline article.
Now, Showmax is being shuttered. Canal+ called the venture an “expensive failure,” backing this assessment with results from its fourth-quarter performance, according to Business Insider.
Canal+’s board decided to shut down the venture as it seeks to prioritize “financial discipline and investment optimization, in an increasingly competitive and capital-intensive global streaming environment,” per Deadline. It is unclear when Showmax will shut down.
“The substantial annual losses experienced by the Showmax business have proved unsustainable,” Canal+ said, according to the outlet. “The decision to phase out Showmax reflects our focus on building a sustainable, competitive business for the long term in an increasingly demanding global streaming environment.”
Canal+ added: “The decision to discontinue Showmax services will not involve any retrenchments. The Group will be engaging and supporting employees through various transition options.”
Direction Of Canal+
Canal+ said it will shift its attention to MultiChoice’s streaming services, investing in premium content for its subscribers, technological innovation, and strategic partnerships, according to Deadline.
It is not clear how an “expanded content offering and platform upgrades” will materialize from Canal+ at the time of this writing, per the outlet.
