Digital TV Research: Recession Hits LatAm Pay-TV Market

The Latin American pay-TV sector has been hit by the recession, as the number of pay-TV subscribers fell by 4 million in 2019, according to Digital TV Research.

The firm forecasts 67 million pay-TV subscribers by 2025, down from 72 million in the peak year of 2017. Brazil lost 3 million pay-TV subs in the four years prior to 2019. Its peak year of 2014 will not be bettered before 2025. The same is true of Mexico, which has lost subscribers since its peak year of 2016.

Digital cable TV is poised to overtake pay satellite TV in 2021. Digital cable TV will add 4 million subscribers between 2019 and 2025, but analog cable TV will lose a similar number.

Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “Satellite TV is the biggest pay-TV loser. Digital TV Research forecasts 28 million satellite TV subscribers by 2025; down from the peak of 36 million in 2017.”

Two operators account for nearly half of the Latin American pay-TV subscribers: America Movil had 12.3 million subscribers (mostly under its Claro brand) and DirecTV/Sky had 20.68 million subs by end of 2019.