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State of the Screens

Cord-Cutting Sped Up in 2018: Biggest Pay-TV Ops Shed 3.2 Million Subscribers Last Year

By February 20, 2019No Comments
The largest traditional pay-TV providers saw their subscriber base drop by 4% in 2018.

YoY change in traditional pay-TV subscribers:
1)
Dish Satellite — ↓ 1.1M ( 10%)
2) DirecTV Satellite — ↓ 1.2M ( 6%)
3) Verizon Fios — ↓ 168K ( 4%)
4) Charter — ↓ 296K ( 2%)
5) Comcast Xfinity — ↓ 344K ( 2%)
6) AT&T U-verse — ↓ 50K ( 1%)
7) Total — ↓ 3.2M ( 4%)

YoY change in streaming pay-TV subscribers:
1)
DirecTV Now — ↑ 436K ( 38%)
2) Sling TV — ↑ 205K ( ↑ 9%)
3) Total — ↑ 600K ( ↑ 19%)

More #1: Comcast looks to DTC, SVOD aggregation to help pay TV

More #2: The Bundle strikes back: How streaming caught up to cable TV prices

More #3: YouTube TV Expands Nationwide, Covering 98% Of The U.S.

Michael Beach

Michael Beach is the Chief Executive Officer of Cross Screen Media, a media analytics and software company that enables marketers to plan, activate, and measure CTV and linear TV at the local level. Michael is also the founder and editor of State of the Screens, a weekly newsletter focused on video advertising that is a must-read for thought leaders in the advertising industry. He has appeared in such publications as PBS Frontline, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Axios, CNBC and Bloomberg, and on NPR’s Planet Money podcast.