Showmax is shutting down in America and Canada, following its termination in Poland, with users who have been making use of MultiChoice's subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service to stay "connected" to South Africa and kykNET's Afrikaans programming who are very sad and upset.
Showmax tells TVwithThinus the service is shutting down in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean "due to legal reasons". These were not explained.
The website SAPeople, providing news to South African expatriates, first reported that Showmax is ending on 30 April 2019 and won't be available to viewers in the US, Canada, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Island and Montserrat.
In December 2018 Showmax in Poland announced that it's shutting down at the end of January 2019 after 2 years.
"Very sad here in Canada. Showmax closing down. Where will I now watch Kwêla, Binnelanders, Suidooster and Getroud met Rugby?" said one upset user who paid to watched the Afrikaans kykNET (DStv 144) programming from that country.
Another expat Showmax user, Daleen Loest said "Why oh why has Showmax decided to stop their streaming services to North America? Expat Facebook pages are exploding with the sad, the disgruntled, the despondent, and the desperate".
"Watching South African shows keep us connected to our beloved Mzansi and I am one of them. How are we going to watch Carte Blanche, Boer Soek 'n Vrou?, Sara se Geheim, Koekedoortjie, Afrikaans movies etc.?"
"Watching South African shows keep us connected to our beloved Mzansi, and having it taken away it feels like having a part of your soul torn out… again. For us expats, that connection is very, very precious. It means so much more than just being able to watch a few TV shows."
"Come on Showmax! Please don't stop streaming. I for one will gladly pay double, heck-even triple, to keep the service running. And I suspect most expats will gladly pay more to help keep it on the internet waves!"
Richard Boorman, Showmax spokesperson told SAPeople "we're gutted too – especially given all these kind words but unfortunately this one is out of our control. Thanks so much for all the support and sorry we can't be there for you."
Richard Boorman in response to a media enquiry told TVwithThinus the decision to shutter Showmax in America, Canada and the Caribbean was taken due to legal reasons.
"Broadly speaking there are two different types of Showmax service – the version we see in South Africa which has both local and international content, and then a 'diaspora' service which focuses just on the local content and is aimed at South Africans overseas."
"The first version is available in more than 40 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and after this change, the diaspora service will still be available in more than 25 countries."
