EbonyLife's Mo Abudu slams Amazon for axing African originals: 'shows a lack of respect for our continent'.

by Thinus Ferreira

The Nigerian producer and CEO of EbonyLife Group, Mo Abudu, is slamming Amazon Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios saying it shows "a lack of respect for our continent" after Amazon's shock decision to cull its Nigerian and South African content teams  and to abruptly cancel further African original content creation.

Amazon Prime Video has retrenched multiple content executives and staff it lured to join its video streaming service in Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa as for Nigeria, based in London, after it rapidly ramped up plans over the past two years to create, produce and roll-out localised African Prime Video Originals.

Gone is Gideon Khobane who officially joined Amazon Prime Video Africa 7 months ago in July 2023 as director of Prime Video Africa. The fate of other executives who all jumped from MultiChoice to join Amazon Prime Video in Africa is still unclear.

Amazon is not willing to confirm whether Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu (head of Nigerian originals), Kaye Ann Williams (head of scripted series and movies for South African originals), and Candice Fangueiro (head of planning and programming for Africa) have also been let go, although insiders said that is the case.

Stephen Barber, head of PR for Amazon in the UK, in response to a media query, said Amazon can't provide "names of team members who have left the company".

Meanwhile shocked and angry producers in Nigeria and South Africa who have been developing and producing content are furious with Amazon Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, saying "promises were made and not kept".

A longtime South African producer said Amazon "damaged producers' trust and trust in the streamer".

"Nobody will trust them when they come and present plans again in future about wanting local content. People sat through presentations in South Africa and Nigeria where Amazon laid out their plans and promised to be different; to do things better and differently. Turns out – not."  

While Amazon Prime Video is drastically reigning in content spend in Africa and on African original content, insiders said that Netflix as part of a global realignment has also quietly started to reign in its content budget for Africa. In contrast, MultiChoice has however massively ramped up content spending for its new Showmax done in partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal's Peacock, which is rolling out from today in app stores as a new video streaming service.

For the relaunch of the new Showmax, MultiChoice has 21 Showmax Originals that will debut over the course of February to lure potential subscribers to the revamped streamer.

Meanwhile, Mo Abudu who has produced African content for Sony and Netflix over the past few years is slamming Amazon Prime Video for deserting Africa and reneging on promises to ramp up spending on African originals.

"In recent times, we have witnessed the unfortunate departure of several international organisations from Nigeria and Africa, some marked by press statements that have, regrettably, shown a lack of respect for our continent," Mo Abudu says.

"In the face of these challenges, it is imperative that we, as Nigerians and Africans, rise above and build our own infrastructure, creating and serving our markets with pride and resilience. I firmly believe in the potential within us, and in the face of challenges, see opportunities for growth and self-reliance."

She's also praising video streamers and global players who have decided to stay in Africa and continue to invest in Africa's film and TV industry.

"To the international organisations that recognise our worth, we extend our heartfelt appreciation. Your decision to stay, partner, and collaborate with us is a testament to the shared commitment to not only growing the continent today but also for the generations that will follow."

"Let us embrace the challenges, celebrate the opportunities, and collectively contribute to the thriving and resilient future of our beloved continent. With hope and determination, we move!"

ALSO READ: Amazon slashing content funding for Prime Video Africa, retrenching staff including Prime Video Africa director Gideon Khobane with no new South African series or films to be commissioned.

ALSO READ: 'Promises were made and not kept' and 'a very sad day for the industry': South African producers devastated and dismayed in Amazon Prime Video Africa over canning original content creation.

ALSO READ: Amazon cutting hundreds of staff at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios.

'Promises were made and not kept' and 'a very sad day for the industry': South African producers devastated and dismayed in Amazon Prime Video Africa over canning original content creation.

Thinus Ferreira

South African producers are dismayed with Amazon Prime Video, Amazon MGM Studios and Amazon Prime Video Africa after local creators got project development shelved, following Amazon's decision to reneg on promises to expand localised Prime Video Africa content.

Producers are telling TVwithThinus they're depressed, devastated and extremely disappointed with Amazon Prime Video Africa.

Like Netflix that is suddenly cutting back on content creation in South Africa and Africa - while MultiChoice is ramping up content spending and content creation for its new Showmax it's launching on 23 January in partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal's Peacock - Amazon is suddenly pulling the plug on its promised expanded investment in African original content.

Amazon has suddenly decided that it's no longer doing further African originals for its Amazon Prime Video streaming service and retrenching staff who were appointed to expand Amazon's slate of Amazon Prime Video Africa originals.

One of thepeople let go is Gideon Khobane who joined Prime Video in South Africa as Prime Video Africa director just seven months ago.

Amazon Prime Video Africa's PR agency Ten x Collective said a media query should be made directly to Amazon PR in the United Kingdom. Stephen Barber, head of PR for Amazon in the UK provided no answers to the questions in the media query.

A South African producer on Thursday night told me that "The local production industry is extremely disappointed that Amazon is not giving us a chance to create the kind of programming we were hoping to collaboratively bring to the world, especially as it is a lot cheaper here to make productions".

"Promises were made and not kept. Why? Quality issues or worldwide cost cutting? Africa is just about the last continent that hasn't been saturated yet, both in viewers and in content. Why are they ignoring a potentially lucrative market?" the producer asked.

"The quality of projects made for the streamers has not been as good as it should have been. Amazon Prime has kept a beady eye on what Netflix has commissioned for Africa and South Africa, and has not been impressed."

"While the quality was okay for South Africa and the African market, it really is lacking compared to what is being produced elsewhere in the world. Streamers have a global market, and once the novelty of seeing African programming has worn off, the lack of quality severely restricts viewership."

The producer noted that "Both Ned Mitchell and Ayanna Ionian are still there, and they were the ones responsible for commissioning - and still are - even though they have new regional names."

"Amazon hasn't commissioned all that much in the past year, so it probably won't make that much of a difference. Colleagues have called it very depressing news and that it definitely will make things much harder for content providers, as it takes away competition and constricts the marketplace."

Another local producer described Amazon Prime Video Africa's shocking decision as "a very sad day for the industry, especially the creatives who were developing projects for Amazon and the local staff who were instrumental in getting them off the ground".

"Between the global effects of Covid, the double lockdowns, loadshedding, the US writers/actors strike, the ongoing struggles with the department of trade and industry (DTIC) and national instability, our creative industry is limping with many forced to leave the industry to find stability," the producer said.

"This move does, unfortunately, reinforce the idea that Africa and its creators are seen by international streamers as low cost labour, pretty locations and performative 'giving back' politics as opposed to a legitimate audience and marketplace," according to the award-winning producer.

"It should also serve as a reminder to local creatives that we should treat entities like these with caution, to view their involvement on the continent as an extension of cultural colonialism and not to be blinded by shiny logos that tell the world they're elevating African narratives."

"This does call for greater protections for the industry from governing bodies when it comes to how companies like Netflix, Disney, Amazon and Apple do business in our territories, be it a license on their service that can be channelled into local productions or a commitment to investment that is developed in conjunction with film bodies as opposed to decisions that are imposed from a head office in Los Angeles or Amsterdam." 

"For South African audiences, I put forward the fact that brands like Showmax, MultiChoice, e.tv and the SABC are the true home of African stories and that, if it comes to choosing a platform to subscribe to, they opt for a local one so that these companies can thrive in a market that seeks to gentrify our unique and vibrant narratives."

ALSO READ: Amazon slashing content funding for Prime Video Africa, retrenching staff including Prime Video Africa director Gideon Khobane with no new South African series or films to be commissioned.

BREAKING. Amazon slashing content funding for Prime Video Africa, retrenching staff including Prime Video Africa director Gideon Khobane with no new South African series or films to be commissioned.

by Thinus Ferreira

Amazon is suddenly slashing funding for Amazon Prime Video Africa and will stop making further African original productions as part of a restructuring, which will also lead to retrenchments for Prime Video Africa staff, including executives like Gideon Khobane who has been let go and joined Prime Video in South Africa as Prime Video Africa director just 7 months ago.

While series like the upcoming Laugh Out Loud South Africa with host Trevor Noah produced by South Africa's Rapid Blue and the Nigerian travelogue Ebuka Turns Up Africa series will still roll out, apparently no further new series or movies will be commissioned from South Africa, or from across Africa for that matter, for Amazon Prime Video with producers who got "shut down" orders.

With no new content commissioned out of South Africa, it raises serious questions about whether Prime Video will continue to have any further use for roles, or keep any of the jobs of, any of its existing content executives it appointed over the past two years to scale up Amazon Prime's African Originals based in teams in Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa, and for Nigeria based in London.

Amazon Prime Video Africa was asked questions in a media query, with its South African PR company Ten x Collective that on Thursday afternoon told me the media query needs to be directed to Amazon PR in the United Kingdom directly.

Stephen Barber, head of PR for Amazon in the UK, had no comment on the specific questions that were asked and said the information currently available is what is in an American trade publication article.

A week ago Amazon announced that it was getting rid of hundreds of staffers at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios in North America, and after that globally. 

This shocking Amazon upheaval now continues with the slashing of content creation and staff costs across Africa with South African producers telling me they're dismayed, depressed and devastated that "promises made were not kept".

Barry Furlong, Prime Video vice president and general manager for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region in an email told staff today about the start of a restructuring to "rebalance" Amazon Prime Video staff and content investment in the Europe and Africa regions.

Amazon will decrease content investment in sub-Saharan Africa "to prior levels" with Barry Furlong informing staffers that the restructuring is aimed at prioritising "resources on what matters most" that will "rebalance and pivot resources to focus on the areas that drive the highest impact and long-term success".

One of the roles getting eliminated is reportedly that of Gideon Khobane who officially joined Amazon Prime Video Africa 7 months ago in July 2023 as director of Prime Video Africa. Gideon Khobane left MultiChoice to join Amazon Prime Video Africa.

It's still unclear how many other Prime Video Africa staff and executives are affected and how many jobs will be eliminated primarily across South Africa and Nigeria. 

After Amazon Prime Video's restructuring in Southeast Asia last week, and at the same time as the realignment for Africa, Amazon is also restructuring Europe which is being split into two regions comprising emerging European markets and established European markets.

In his email to staffers, Barry Furlong says "We've been carefully looking at our business to ensure we continue to prioritize our resources on what matters most to customers".

"I have carefully evaluated our structure in the region and decided to make some adjustments to our operating model to rebalance and pivot our resources to focus on the areas that drive the highest impact and long-term success."

"I have listened and considered the feedback received across the teams over the past 12 months; I believe these changes will improve the operational running of our multi-territory business and allow us to be more agile and focused."

Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Studios boasted about the multi-year partnership contracts and output deals it had signed over the past few years with production companies ranging from Anthill, as well as Inkblot Productions, to Greoh Studios in Nigeria that will now suddenly make nothing for Amazon as the streamer drastically scales back on its ambitions and promises of making more African content.

ALSO READ: 'Promises were made and not kept' and 'a very sad day for the industry': South African producers devastated and dismayed in Amazon Prime Video Africa over canning original content creation.

ALSO READ: Amazon cutting hundreds of staff at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios.

Gideon Khobane appointed as Amazon Prime Video Africa director.

by Thinus Ferreira

Gideon Khobane has officially joined Amazon Studios as director for Amazon Prime Video Africa as the latest pick-up from MultiChoice to defect to the video streaming service.

TVwithThinus reported in July 2022 that Gideon Khobane had left MultiChoice where he was group executive of general entertainment, and he has now officially joined Amazon Prime Video Africa after the restraint of trade period had lapsed.

At Amazon Prime Video Africa Gideon Khobane is tasked with growing the Amazon Prime Video streaming service across sub-Sahara Africa, especially in the two top markets South Africa and Nigeria.

Gideon Khobane who remains in South Africa, will be working with Amazon Prime's Africa Originals team, headed up by Ned Mitchell, the content acquisitions team headed up by Ayanna Lonian, and product teams.

According to Amazon Studios, Gideon Khobane "is tasked with helping to provide a world-class mix of original and exclusive TV series and movies for existing Amazon Prime Video members and to attract new customers in sub-Saharan Africa".

In his role, Gideo Khobane oversee the implementation of programming and marketing plans for Amazon Prime Video Africa's content offering spanning both global Amazon Originals as well as a planned growing slate of African Originals like the upcoming LOL: Last One Laughing South Africa with Trevor Noah as host.

Similar to Netflix Africa and Disney+, at Amazon Prime Africa Gideon Khobane joins a growing number of former MultiChoice and M-Net executives who've jumped from the traditional pay-TV operator's headquarters in Randburg, Johannesburg to the international streaming services which all have great ambitions and deep pockets to produce localised pan-African continent.

Gideon Khobane is now working with former MultiChoice West Africa boss Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu who is head of Nigerian Originals at Amazon Prime Video in London; former Showmax boss Candice Fangueiro who is head of planning and programming for Africa at Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Studios; and Kaye Ann Williams, former M-Net local content boss who now heads up scripted series and movies for South Africa at Amazon Prime Video. 

Besides MultiChoice's head of general entertainment Gideon Khobane previously also served as SuperSport CEO and M-Net channel director.