The disappearance of a number of leading channels from operators’ offers despite their popularity could signal an important shift in the Ukrainian cable industry.
According to Mediasat and Vremya, at least one leading player (Triolan) has said although some of these services could reappear in its schedule, it is likely to reduce the number of pay-TV channels it offers as they are proving to be not cost-effective.
The latter typically cost operators UAH1-2 (€0.09-0.19) a month per subscriber, while FTA services funded by advertising are available for free and some less popular (regional, for instance) channels actually pay cable operators for carriage. Underreporting of cable subscriber numbers in Ukraine is meanwhile believed to be rife, with operators declaring only 30-50% of their customers. Cable operators are also now finding the provision of internet services more profitable than TV channels.
Cable operators are also now finding the provision of internet services more profitable than TV channels.