Pay TV revenues to plunge to $150 billion

Global pay TV revenues for 138 countries peaked in 2016 at $202 billion. Revenues will fall to $150 billion in 2025 – despite the number of pay TV subscribers rising by 35 million between 2019 and 2025.

Revenues will decline in 61 countries between 2019 and 2025. The US will provide the most dramatic fall – by $31 billion. Brazil and Canada will each lose more than $1 billion.

Simon Murray, Principal Analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “Much of the losses are down to subscribers converting from standalone TV to a bundle where they pay more overall to the operator but less on TV services. Cord-cutting is also a major problem, especially in the US.”

On a positive note, India will gain $812 million in pay TV revenues between 2019 and 2025 to take its total to $6 billion – up by 16%. The second biggest winner will be Indonesia, with a $719 million gain.

The top five countries will account for 56% of global pay TV revenues by 2025. The next 15 countries will bring in a further 25%. Therefore, the top 20 countries will contribute 81% of pay TV revenues by 2025.

Satellite TV revenues will fall by $18 billion between 2019 and 2025. The US alone will decline by $14 billion. IPTV revenues will be flat between 2019 and 2025 at $27 billion. Global cable TV revenues (digital and analog together) peaked at $97 billion in 2012, but will fall to $63 billion in 2025.

Murray added: “Our forecasts assume that professional sports will restart in August following relaxations in the Covid 19 lockdown. If this does not happen, then pay TV will experience considerable churn.” Digital TV News