Eastern European pay TV subs set to fall in next five years

Eastern European pay TV customers will fall to 74 million by 2029, however the number of digital pay TV subscribers will rise within the region, according to Digital TV Research. 

Source: Digital TV Research

In its latest report, Digital TV Research expects pay TV subs will decline by 8 million from 81 million in the peak year of 2018.

Whilst, analog cable subscribers will drop from 17 million in 2018 to zero by 2029. But, digital pay TV subscribers will increase by 9 million over this period.

The research market firm also forecasted pay TV subscriber numbers will shrink in 20 of the 22 Eastern European countries covered between 2023 and 2029, with the total down by 2.4 million. There will be 4.6 million fewer analog cable subs and pay satellite TV will fall by 2.6 million. However, IPTV is expected to gain 2.8 million and digital cable 1.9 million.

Digital TV Research also revealed Russia will account for nearly half of the region’s pay TV subscribers in 2029, despite losing 2.6 million pay TV subscribers between 2023 and 2029.

Similarly, Pay TV subscribers in Western Europe will drop to 93 million by 2029. Pay TV subscribers in the region will be down by 8%, losing nearly 9 million subs between 2023 and 2029. Whereas, Western European OTT TV and film revenue will rise by 55% from the end of 2023 through to 2029, reaching $48 billion.

Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “Tough times continue in Eastern Europe, with poor job prospects forcing many to seek work abroad. This migration married with low birth rates mean that populations will fall or stall in 17 of the 22 countries covered in this report between 2023 and 2029.”