Global pay-TV penetration will fall for the first time next year

Global pay-TV market penetration is set to peak at 60.3% this quarter and is projected to experience its first-ever decline in 2024, according to market research firm Ampere Analysis.

If you live in North America or parts of Europe, it may surprise you that the penetration of pay-TV, defined as cable, satellite, terrestrial, and IP TV, has been growing on a global scale until now, considering the rise of streaming.

The pay-TV market has, in recent years, been driven by regions such as Asia Pacific and Europe, where low-cost IP TV services are often bundled with broadband.


All global regions in decline by 2025
The decline has been ongoing for years in North America due to the rise of streaming. Since 2009's high of 84%, pay-TV penetration in North America stands at 45% in 2023. The Latin America market has been in decline since 2016.



By 2025, pay-TV penetration in all regions across the world is anticipated to be in decline. Ampere Analysis expects that by 2028, global pay-TV penetration will have fallen by almost four percentage points.

- "Despite the projected decline in the reach of pay-TV, cable and satellite platforms will remain a powerful force in the TV world, and important distribution partners for streaming products, as evidenced by the recent distribution deal between Disney and Charter in the U.S., which saw select Disney+ streaming services bundled into Charter’s TV packages," said Rory Gooderick, Senior Analyst at Ampere Analysis.

- Source: Ampere Analysis