Canal+ axes Showmax

[Sir Peel-a-Lot]

The HBO stuff was a big plus, that's obviously subjective, but after a few months of exhausting the HBO stuff I went back to Netflix.

Showmax shutting shop is hardly surprising when the content they delivered was designed to target the majority of people who really can't afford to sustain the service.

 

[Stonemason]

I have been wasting my money on a Showmax subscription for years. Very seldom watched anything on it because I could not get used to watching movies and stuff without surround sound. But the kids love it. Now I will have no choice but to cancel it

 

[thestaggy]

Only problem here is Kyknet streaming. Wish they could launch a proper Afrikaans streaming channel. Happy to throw R100 to them just for that.

I'm not Afrikaans, but I am surprised that such a thing does not exist. It is a not insignificant market.

 

[thestaggy]

Wonder how many people are going to lose their jobs. The article is all about their financial position and not a word on how many people this is going to impact.

People are just numbers on a spreadsheet, sadly.

If the employee number goes down and the profit/turnover number goes brrr, they'll be happy.

 

[Corelli]

I actually enjoy Showmax for the difference in movies and mainly due to the HBO shows.

I paid prepaid upfront for the year, will they be refunding the clients who paid upfront for the year. I have ZERO interest to go the DSTV route. Think its totally rubbish.

 

[Corelli]

So well guess we will have to pirate local classical content because seemingly there wont be any around anymore.

Well done DSTV, you have turned most of the Showmax clients now into Pirates. Argh argh.

 

[Brian_G]

I'm not Afrikaans, but I am surprised that such a thing does not exist. It is a not insignificant market.

It does sort of - KykNet (Compact Plus and Premium only) and other channels in that grouping (3 more channels and those all available to Compact too, + 1 cheapie channel for some others) can be had via streaming as well.

But agree it could work as a separate package too with a bit more added.

 

[Lupus]

The claimed reason was to try tackle Netflix, but surely they never really thought they could

When it first launched way back yonder, it made sense.

 

[Corelli]

So since taking over Canal+ has ditched....
1. Showmax
2. Olympics
3. World Darts Championships
4. Showmax Games

And it will drop others like....
1. Super Rugby Pacific
2. UEFA Champions League
3. English Premier League
4. Formula 1
5. Moto GP
6. Golfing (PGA Tour, local tours).
7. Currie Cup Rugby
8. Domestic Cricket
9. School and varsity sports
10. Local Netball and Local boxing.

And It has already removed Channels like...
Discovery
TLC Africa
TNT Africa
Real Time
Discovery ID
Food Network
HGTV
Travel Channel
Cartoon Network
Cartoonito
CNN International
CBS

With these also on the chopping block...
ITV Choice
BBC
Sundance
SABC Encore
Disney XD
Fox Life
Mnet City and Vuzu
Russia Today
EtV, emovies, eExtra
Lifetime
1Max
MTV

 

[wbot]

And It has already removed Channels like...
Discovery
TLC Africa
TNT Africa
Real Time
Discovery ID
Food Network
HGTV
Travel Channel
Cartoon Network
Cartoonito
CNN International

No they haven't. Those channels are still on dstv.

 

[Brian_G]

So since taking over Canal+ has ditched....
1. Showmax
2. Olympics
3. World Darts Championships
4. Showmax Games

And it will drop others like....
1. Super Rugby Pacific
2. UEFA Champions League
3. English Premier League
4. Formula 1
5. Moto GP
6. Golfing (PGA Tour, local tours).
7. Currie Cup Rugby
8. Domestic Cricket
9. School and varsity sports
10. Local Netball and Local boxing.

And It has already removed Channels like...
Discovery
TLC Africa
TNT Africa
Real Time
Discovery ID
Food Network
HGTV
Travel Channel
Cartoon Network
Cartoonito
CNN International
CBS

With these also on the chopping block...
ITV Choice
BBC
Sundance
SABC Encore
Disney XD
Fox Life
Mnet City and Vuzu
Russia Today
EtV, emovies, eExtra
Lifetime
1Max
MTV

Haha, you clearly don't keep up to date with the news here. Nope, many of the channels that were threatened with removal (by the suppliers) were saved last minute.

The rest, quite an exaggeration.. as usual

 

[Corelli]

And 1.5 million local subscribers and a few million throughout Africa subscribe to Showmax. Subscriber Growth of 44% year on year.

DSTV has 14.5 million subscribers, mostly corporate and hotels etc. Yet they dropped by 1.2 million year on year.

But a loss of R4.95 billion hit them hard.

 

[Brian_G]

DSTV has 14.5 million subscribers, mostly corporate and hotels etc.

Rubbish

 

[CPTBoy]

Geez, Canal+ really bought a lemon here when it comes to financial viability. No wonder they are gutting it.

 

[Swa]

Not unexpected, but what are they going to replace it with? Despite the loss it served a purpose and MC is sitting on a huge wealth of local content which isn't showing anywhere.

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

Don't be such a pessimist, take a walk (figuratively anyway) on the wild side ;- )

Lou Reed song, Walk on the Wild side

 

[Johandupreez2]

Geez, Canal+ really bought a lemon here when it comes to financial viability. No wonder they are gutting it.

Do you think Canal+ will be able to reconstruct and save DSTV in the long run and make it something that people actually want to pay for again?

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

Do you think Canal+ will be able to reconstruct and save DSTV in the long run and make it something that people actually want to pay for again?

With all the options currently available, and the very negative sentiment that prevails, towards DSTV, all make that unlikely.

 

[HelterSkelter]

It's because they don't show max but mostly show kax.

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

It's because they don't show max but mostly show kax.