According to Digital TV Research, despite economic growth concerns, pay TV subscriptions for the Asia Pacific region's top 68 operators will increase by 74% from a collective 376 million in 2014 to 535 million by 2020. These operators from 20 countries are expected to climb from 75% of APAC pay TV subscribers in 2014 to 83% by 2020.
The research house says China and India dominate the operator rankings by subscribers. Government policy to consolidate cable TV operations means that China Radio & TV has become the world's largest pay TV operator, with 198 million subscribers at end-2014. The operator is expected to soon represent every cable TV home in China, with 252 million subscribers expected by 2020,up by nearly 54 million on 2014.
At the other end of the scale, Korea's CJ Hellovision is expected to lose 827,000 subscribers over the same period. Nine of the operators in the report are expected to experience subscriber decreases between 2014 and 2020.
Total subscription and VOD revenues for the 68 operators are expected to climb by nearly $10 billion between 2014 and 2020 to $33 billion, to account for 80% of Asia Pacific pay TV revenues by 2020, up from 74% in 2014.
The dominance of China and India is diminished when the operators are ranked in revenue terms (subscriptions and VOD only). China Radio & TV is expected to add $2.16 billion between 2014 and 2020. Five operators are expected to add more than $500 million in revenues. However, 10 operators are expected to lose revenues, with Foxtel (down by $151 million) declining by the most.
