20 NOV 2020

US PAY TV PROVIDERS LOSE 120,000 SUBSCRIBERS IN Q3

The flow of subs losses has significantly slowed throughout the quarter. Pay-Tv providers at the top of the list now account for 82.6 million subscribers.

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Recent research conducted on behalf of Leichtman Research Group, Inc. found that the largest pay-TV providers in the U.S., which represents 95% of the market, lost approximately120,000 net video subscribers in 3Q 2020, compared to a pro forma net loss of about 945,000 in 3Q 2019. “It is more important than ever before to recognize vMVPDs as a key segment of the live pay-TV industry," said Bruce Leichtman, President and Principal Analyst for Leichtman Research Group, Inc. "Hulu + Live TV is now the fifth-largest pay-TV service in the U.S., and YouTube TV now has over three million subscribers, including one million net additions thus far in 2020.”

The top pay-TV providers have now collectively garnered 82.6 million subscribers. The top seven cable companies having 44.3 million video subscribers, satellite TV services having about 22.6 million subscribers, the top telephone companies having 8.0 million subscribers, and the top-reported Internet-delivered (vMVPD) pay-TV services having 7.7 million subscribers.

Other important findings are that Satellite TV services lost about 775,000 subscribers in 3Q 2020, compared to a loss of about 1,140,000 subscribers in 3Q 2019. The top seven cable companies lost about 375,000 video subscribers in 3Q 2020, compared to a loss of about 410,000 subscribers in 3Q 2019. 

The top telephone providers lost about 5,000 video subscribers in 3Q 2020, compared to 210,000 subscriber losses during 3Q of 2019. On the contrary, Internet-delivered (vMVPD) services like Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, AT&T TV NOW, and fuboTV added 1,035,000 subscribers in Q3 2020 , compared to about 815,000 net adds in Q3 2019.

It is more important than ever before to recognize vMVPDs as a key segment of the live pay-tv industry. Hulu + Live TV is now the fifth-largest pay-tv service in the U.S., and YouTube TV now has over three million subscribers, including one million net additions thus far in 2020.” Bruce Leichtman President and Principal Analyst for Leichtman Research Group, Inc.

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