Report: Viacom to remain top European channel operator

Revenues for Europe’s top pay TV channels are expected to grow by 31% to US$5.52 billion by 2018, with Viacom holding onto its slot as the leading international channel provider, according to Digital TV Research.

According to Digital TV Research’s TV Channel Revenues in Europe report, Viacom will turn in revenues of US$749 million in Europe this year, followed by Eurosport with US$651 million and Discovery with US$772 million.

The report predicts that Viacom will retain its number one slot in 2018 with revenues of US$975 million, with Eurosport and Discovery also holding onto their respective number two and three positions with US$801 million and US$772 million, although it is possible that the pair may have merged their operations by that date.

Overall, carriage fee revenues for the top pay TV broadcasters are expected to grow by 14.1% from US$2.91 billion in 2012 to US$3.32 billion in 2018, while advertising revenues will grow from US$1.3 billion in 2012 to US$2.2 billion by 2018.

Other leading European pay TV channel providers by revenue in 2013 are expected to include Disney, with US$491 million, Fox with US$420 million, Turner with US$396 million, NBC Universal with US$330 million, Chellomedia with US$254 million, Sony with US$138 million, BBC Worldwide with US$170 million and A+E Networks with US$111 million, according to the report.

“The recession has hurt some regions more than others. The UK is buoyant overall, but no growth is expected in Spain & Portugal and Italy until next year. The estimates and forecasts in this report have been prepared using an analysis of a database of hundreds of financial records,” said report author Nicholas Moncrieff.