Showmax subscribers are left feeling disappointed and frustrated after its parent company, MultiChoice (now owned by French media giant Canal+), decided to shut the service down. The streaming platform, which was relaunched and expanded in partnership with Comcast’s NBCUniversal, ultimately proved to be a major commercial failure.
That is not to say Showmax had nothing going for it. It offered popular local titles such as The Girl from St. Agnes, The Real Housewives of Durban, and Outlaws. The platform also tried to grow its animation offering with shows like Twende and Jay Jay the Chosen One.
The bigger problem was financial. MultiChoice never properly accounted for the tough economic conditions facing many African households. For every R100 the company spent on Showmax, it reportedly earned only a fraction back. This same approach contributed to the long-term decline of DStv, something Canal+ is now working to fix.
Even while MultiChoice continued to lose money through parts of its business, DStv itself remained profitable for a long time. Before Canal+ made its successful bid, MultiChoice’s services still reached around 23 million subscribers across Africa. What has always been confusing is how the company chose to position Showmax in relation to DStv.
Under the previous Naspers ownership, MultiChoice often blamed international streamers for its challenges. In reality, Showmax sometimes gave DStv customers an easier and cheaper way to watch content (including kykNET) without paying the full high monthly satellite package price of around R1,000.
Compare this to other companies. Disney+ draws on National Geographic, ESPN, and Disney Channel content. Peacock does the same with Bravo, NBC, and Telemundo. MultiChoice took a different path: it kept many of its own brands (such as Star Khanya, The Home Channel, and JimJam) on DStv while putting different content from partners like AMC+, PBS, and Crave on Showmax. The two platforms rarely shared the same shows.
Canal+ has been clear in its view: pure streaming is still a long way from overtaking traditional pay-TV (cable/satellite) in most of Africa. High data costs and limited reliable broadband continue to make continuous streaming expensive for many households.
A useful comparison can be found in the UK. Sky runs two streaming services — SkyShowtime (in partnership with Paramount) and Now TV. Sky mainly focused on content from its own studios, with Paramount providing extra incentives. The two services were not fierce direct competitors. What helped Now TV stay competitive was the inclusion of some linear (live TV) channels from third parties.
As the curtain falls on Showmax, many viewers will look back on the local shows and shared viewing experiences the platform provided. It would not be surprising if Showmax’s rise and fall one day becomes the subject of a documentary or a special report on Carte Blanche.
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