Synopsis
The Free-to-Air counterparts have delivered many new digital channels in 2010/11, with the pay TV companies putting in a concerted effort to maintain and grow subscribers and also grow revenues and profits. While the past net losses of pay TV have decreased, profits are arriving. The average revenue per user of both AUSTAR and Foxtel are increasing as they are driven by higher tier package uptake. As the analogue switchover to digital broadcasting moves across the Australian continent, the subscription TV operators may be able to increase subscribers as the viewers get the feeling of what is possible in the new digital TV environment.
There are more than 100 English-language television services or 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 2011, these three operators had a total of more than two million household subscribers to pay TV broadcasting services in Australia.
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 chart formats. The report also provides analysis and commentary from BuddeComm on the industry and events in Pay TV in Australia.
