A downsizing of operations in Africa and the Middle East by Amazon Prime Video has been reported, impacting teams in these regions. According to a report by Variety, it is indicated that the company will shift its focus to European original content, discontinuing the support for local originals in Africa and the Middle East. Consequently, the production of original content in these regions will cease, although projects that have already been approved will proceed as planned.
As part of the restructuring, the European team will be divided into two groups: the EU Established, concentrating on the U.K., Germany, Italy, France, and Spain markets, and the EU Emerging, overseeing operations in Benelux, the Nordics, and Central and Eastern Europe. Barry Furlong, Vice President of Prime Video Europe, stated in an email to staff, “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.”
This strategic shift comes after recent efforts by Prime Video to establish itself as a major video streaming player in Africa, signing multi-year licensing agreements and setting up teams in Nigeria and South Africa. Amazon Prime Video, entering the African market in 2016, had initially faced challenges, lacking localized interfaces, subtitling, and original content. However, it made significant strides by launching a localized version in Nigeria and introducing plans tailored to the preferences of the African audience. The withdrawal from producing local content in Africa leaves a notable void in the streaming landscape, where competing platforms like Showmax, Netflix, and Canal+ may now capitalize on Prime Video’s reduced presence, potentially reshaping the dynamics of the region’s streaming industry in the ongoing battle for African content and viewership.
News Source : Techcrunch
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