Global pay-TV market forecast to remain steady

Global pay-TV subscriber numbers are predicted to hold steady at just under 1 billion, until 2025, according to a new report from Digital TV Research.

Subs numbers across 138 countries will remain firm until a slender decline that year, with a small recovery thereafter, says the report.

Global pay-TV penetration reached 56% of TV households by end-2023, a figure that is forecast to fall slightly to 54% by end-2029.

Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “IPTV is the pay-TV winner. IPTV will add 36 million subscribers between 2023 and 2029 to take its total to 412 million. IPTV overtook pay satellite TV subscribers in 2018 and will overtake digital cable in 2024.”

Between 2023 and 2029, 82 countries will add pay-TV subscribers and 56 countries will lose subscribers. The US will be the biggest loser – down by 10 million subscribers, said the analyst firm.