Global Pay-TV Subs See Modest Growth

LONDON: The leading pay-TV services around the world increased their subscriber numbers by just 1 percent in Q3 2014, according to the informitv Multiscreen Index.

The 100 services included in the report posted subscriber gains of 3.52 million in the three months to the end of September. The total growth year on year was 19.18 million, or 5.6 percent.

While 58 of the 100 television services worldwide saw a net increase in subscribers, many of the major U.S. cable and satellite operators lost video customers. Comcast, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Time Warner Cable, Charter, Cablevision and Mediacom lost over 389,000 video subscribers between them. However, these were largely offset by gains of 328,000 by the telco television services of AT&T U‑verse and Verizon FiOS.

TV services in India and Korea were among those adding the most subscribers. Dish TV in India reported an additional 400,000 subscribers in the quarter. The region with the largest overall increase was Europe, Middle East and Africa, adding 2.13 million subscribers.

“Our analysis reveals a modest gain in television subscriber numbers despite some notable losses, particularly among cable and satellite operators in the United States,” said Dr. William Cooper, the editor of the informitv Multiscreen Index. “The wider picture is more complex, with many operators elsewhere continuing to show growth.”