The number of pay-TV subscribers in 20 MENA countries will increase from 17.32 million in 2022 to 19.20 million in 2028.
According to the latest report from Digital TV Research, legitimate pay-TV penetration will remain at only 19%. IPTV subscribers overtook pay satellite TV in 2022.
The report adds that about 62% of the region’s TV households will receive free-to-air satellite TV signals by 2028. FTA satellite penetration is highest in the Arabic-speaking countries. Meanwhile, a fifth of the region’s TV households will take FTA DTT.
Pay-TV revenues will fall by 36% between peak year 2016 ($3.84 billion) and 2028 ($2.47 billion). This will come despite the number of pay-TV subscribers growing – which means that ARPUs are falling.
Commenting on the findings of the report, Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “Legitimate pay-TV penetration will remain low in the MENA region. First was the battle against widespread piracy. Traditional pay-TV subscribers are now converting to SVOD platforms”.
