Synopsis

While the free-to-air counterparts have delivered many new digital channels since 2010 the subscription TV companies have also added new channels so as to maintain and increase subscription levels while also growing revenues and profits. Unfortunately the subscribers have been leaving, churn increasing and now into 2011-12 revenues now also decreasing and expected to continue in the short term. 

One highlight of revenues is that the average revenue per user of both AUSTAR and FOXTEL are still increasing as the remaining subscribers have a higher tier package uptake. As yet we still have to really see how the subscription TV operators can increase subscribers as the analogue switchover to digital broadcasting moves across the Australian continent.

There are more than 200 channels currently available to subscribers of the three major local subscription television groups with a selection of time-shifting, HD and digital channels available. The local pay TV providers are FOXTEL and Optus TV (each of which operates in the metropolitan markets), and AUSTAR (which operates in the regional markets). Between them in early 2012, these three operators had around $3 billion in annual revenue as at end-2011.

This report combines a range of statistics such as revenue per operator, estimated average revenue per user statistics and pay TV revenue, which are presented across a range of tabular and east-to-read chart formats. The report also provides analysis and commentary from BuddeComm on the industry and events in Pay TV in Australia.

Companies mentioned

Companies mentioned in this report include – AUSTAR, FOXTEL, Optus, TransACT.

Hot topics and technologies mentioned

Hot topics and technologies mentioned in this report include – smart TV, pay TV, digital TV, analogue to digital conversion, HD, ARPU, revenue.