Digital TV Research: Western Europe to Shed 7 Million Pay-TV Subs

Western Europe is forecast to lose 7 million pay-TV subscribers between 2021 and 2027, reaching 100 million subs, according to Digital TV Research.

Pay-TV subscriber counts will fall for 14 of the 18 countries between 2021 and 2027. Germany will lose 2 million subs, with the U.K. down by 1.4 million and France nearly 1 million.

By 2027, Germany’s total is expected to be at 22.8 million, with France at 22 million and the U.K. at 13 million.

Spain is forecast to remain stable, at 6.4 million. The Netherlands will see a slight dip, from the reported 6.6 million in 2021 to 6.2 million subs in 2027.

Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “Pay-TV revenues will decline by $5 billion—18 percent—between 2021 and 2027 to $22 billion. The pay-TV subscriber count will drop by 7 percent, so revenues will fall faster—revealing lower TV ARPUs and less emphasis on TV from the operators. IPTV will overtake satellite TV in 2026 to become the most lucrative platform.”