According to Digital TV Research, pay TV providers in eastern Europe are on track to lose a million subscribers between now and 2022. Tough economic times continue in the region, with poor job prospects forcing many to seek work abroad. This migration, plus low birth rates, suggest that populations will fall in 15 of the 22 countries covered in the research house's forecast between 2016 and 2022.

Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said: "There will be a knock-on effect for the TV sector. The number of TV households will fall in 18 countries between 2016 and 2022 - with the region's total declining by almost 2 million. Pay TV will struggle, losing 1 million subscribers over the same period."