While cable operators are still shedding video subscribers, the rate of loss has slowed to the lowest level since 2008.
According to the Leichtman Research Group, the 13 largest pay TV providers in the United States - representing about 95% of the market - lost about 125,000 net video subscribers in 2014. Annual net pay TV losses in 2014 were comparable to 2013, when the same top pay TV providers lost about 95,000 subscribers.
The top 13 pay TV providers account for 95.2 million subscribers, with the top nine cable companies having 49.3 million video subscribers, satellite TV companies having 34.3 million subscribers, and the two top telephone companies having 11.6 million subscribers.
Other findings indicate:
- The top nine cable companies lost about 1,195,000 video subscribers in 2014, compared to a loss of about 1,695,000 subscribers in 2013. Cable video losses in 2014 were the fewest since 2008.
- The top telephone providers added 1,050,000 video subscribers in 2014, compared to 1,430,000 net additions in 2013.
- Satellite TV providers added 20,000 video subscribers in 2014, compared to 170,000 net additions in 2013.