NBCUniversal to cut dozens of jobs as Showmax shuts down

NBCUniversal is planning to cut dozens of employees as the African streaming service Showmax shuts down. Staffers were informed of the change on Wednesday. About a dozen US staffers on the global streaming product team were impacted, and dozens of others could be affected internationally, two people familiar with the cuts said.

A second person said there is a consultation process involved with the international reductions. Canal+, which owns 70% of the venture after acquiring MultiChoice, called the money-losing Showmax an "expensive failure" in its fourth-quarter earnings report. Comcast holds the remaining 30% stake in all but one of the 44 African countries where Showmax operates.

Showmax told customers last week it would be shut down, though it did not say when. Showmax runs on the same tech platform as US-only Peacock and the European streamer SkyShowtime.

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