Pay TV revenues in Eastern Europe are due to peak in 2019 as gains in digital Pay TV fail to offset a drop in analogue cable revenues, according to Digital TV Research.
The research firm estimates that Pay TV revenues in the region will top out at US$6.95 billion in 2019 before falling to US$6.59 billion by 2024.
Over this period, digital Pay TV revenues are expected to increase by US$502 million to US$6.56 billion, while analogue revenue is expected to drop by US$844 million.
In terms of subscriber numbers, Digital TV Research predicts that the number of analogue cable subscribers will decline from 17.67 million at the end of 2019 to 568,000 by 2024.
In the same time frame, digital Pay TV subscribers are tipped to increase by 21% to 78 million.
Russia will account for half of the region’s Pay TV subscribers in 2024, but will also lose 2.88 million Pay TV subscribers between 2018 and 2024, according to the research.
Overall Pay TV subscriber numbers are expected to fall in ten countries in Eastern Europe between 2018 and 2024.
“Tough times continue in Eastern Europe, with poor job prospects forcing many to seek work abroad,” said Digital TV Research Principal Analyst, Simon Murray.
“This migration married with low birth rates mean that the number of TV households will fall in 18 countries between 2018 and 2024 – with the region’s TV households dropping by 2.5 million.”
“The number of Pay TV subscribers in Eastern Europe will decline from 82.33 million at end-2018 to 78.64 million in 2024. Not great news but better than the US situation.”
