MEA Pay-TV Subs to Increase 67 Percent

LONDON: Pay-TV subscriptions in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region are forecast to increase by 67 percent between 2015 and 2021, from 32.37 million to 54.09 million, according to Digital TV Research.

The Middle East & Africa Pay TV Operator Forecasts report finds that nine pay-TV operators—Multichoice (DStv and GOtv), StarTimes/StarSat, Canal Plus, OSN, beIN, DigiTurk, D-Smart, Yes and HOT—dominate the market, accounting for 70 percent of these subscribers by end-2015. This proportion will decrease to 66 percent by 2021.

Growth in the Middle East and North Africa will be more modest than Sub-Saharan Africa, although beIN will double its subs base between 2015 and 2021.

Subscription and PPV pay-TV revenues from the Middle East and Africa will increase from $7.95 billion to $11.47 billion over the same period. Subscription and VOD revenues for the top nine operators accounted for 81 percent of the 2015 total, though this proportion will dip slightly, to 78 percent, by 2021.