Report Projects Strong Growth in AsiaPac Pay-TV Subs

Digital TV Research projects that the number of pay-TV subscribers in the Asia Pacific will grow by 78 million between 2017 and 2023.

The company’s Asia Pacific Pay TV Forecasts report estimates that pay-TV revenues in the region will rise by $2.7 billion to reach $37.9 billion in 2023. China, India and Japan will account for two thirds of that total. Six countries will see pay-TV revenues fall between 2017 and 2023, including Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong. India will see its pay-TV revenues go up by $1.6 billion and China $924 million. Indonesia is expected to see an additional $472 million.

China and India remain the biggest markets in terms of subscribers, rising to 375,085 and 179,951, respectively, in 2023. Gains are also forecast for Vietnam, Indonesia and Pakistan, while South Korea and Japan, among others, are expected to see contractions in their pay-TV bases.

“China and India together will account for 81 percent of the region’s 686 million pay TV subscribers by 2023,” said Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research. “China will add 33 million subscribers between 2017 and 2023 and India will increase its total by 28 million. However, six of the 22 countries covered in this report will lose subscribers between 2017 and 2023. Taiwan will be the biggest loser, with subscribers down by 10.3 percent.”