US pay TV providers lost 385,000 subscribers in 2015

Bruce Leichtman

The thirteen largest pay TV providers in the US, representing roughly 95% of the market, lost some 385,000 net video subscribers in 2015, according to Leichtman Research.

The new report claims that the number of subscribers dropping their pay TV packages more than doubled in 2015 from a loss of about 150,000 subscribers in 2014, and around 100,000 subscribers in 2013.

“2015 marked the third consecutive year for pay TV industry net losses, yet the total number of subscribers for major pay TV providers – including Dish’s Sling TV – has declined by less than one million since the industry peaked in Q1, 2012,” said Leichtman Research Group’s, president and principal analyst, Bruce Leichtman.

“2015 also saw significant shifts for cable and telco providers. The top cable providers cumulatively had their best year since 2006, and had about 870,000 fewer losses than in 2014. Telcos had about 1,170,000 fewer net additions than in 2014, and had their worst year since they began providing video services in 2006.”