MENA Pay-TV Market Thrives

LONDON: Pay-TV revenues in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are expected to grow by more than 83 percent to reach $5.6 billion by 2020, according to a new report from Digital TV Research.

The report, Digital TV Middle East & North Africa Forecasts, expects Turkey and Israel to contribute 52 percent of the region's pay-TV revenues in 2020. Of the $1.49 billion in revenues expected to be added between 2013 and 2020, Turkey is forecast to bring in $359 million, Egypt $362 million and Saudi Arabia $257 million. Revenues in Israel, however, are expected to fall by $56 million during this period, due to greater competition.

Satellite TV is poised to continue to dominate pay-TV revenues, accounting for two-thirds of the 2020 total, which is similar to the 2013 proportion. Revenues from satellite TV are expected to reach $3.74 billion in 2020, up by $1 billion from 2013 and nearly double the 2010 total.