BRIC Markets Driving Global Pay-TV Subs Growth

SINGAPORE: The number of pay-TV subscribers worldwide topped 886.5 million at the end of the third quarter, a 6-percent year-on-year increase, with gains in emerging markets compensating for stagnating growth rates in Western Europe and North America.

According to ABI Research, Western Europe pay-TV subs rose by less than 2 percent in the period, as increases in France, Germany and the U.K. made up for losses in Spain and Italy. North America was fairly stable, down just 1 percent largely as a result of contracting customer bases at cable platforms. “Despite the declining subscriber base, pay-TV service revenue in North America grew due to increased average revenue per user which is driven by an increasing proportion of HD and advanced DVR subscribers,” noted Khin Sandi Lynn, industry analyst.

By 2018, ABI forecasts more than 1 billion subs worldwide, generating service revenues of $229.6 billion. BRIC countries will account for 68 percent of total net additional subscribers by 2018.