Commentary

Multi-Channel Video Subscribers Down; Industry Levels Off

According to the Leichtman Research Group, the thirteen largest multi-channel video providers in the US, representing 94% of the market, lost 345,000 net additional video subscribers in the 2ndQ of 2013. In 2ndQ 2012 and in 2ndQ 2011, the multi-channel video industry lost 325,000 subscribers. The top multi-channel video providers account for nearly 94.6 million subscribers, says the report, with the top nine cable companies having about 50.5 million video subscribers, satellite TV companies having over 34 million subscribers, and top telephone companies having over 10 million subscribers.

Other key findings include:

  • The top nine cable companies lost about 555,000 video subscribers in 2ndQ 2013, compared to a loss of about 540,000 subscribers in 2ndQ 2012
  • The top telephone providers added 373,000 video subscribers in 2ndQ 2013, compared to 275,000 net additions in 2ndQ 2012
  • Satellite TV providers lost 162,000 subscribers in 2ndQ 2013, compared to a loss of 62,000 in 2ndQ 2012. Although just the third time DBS providers reported net quarterly losses, total DBS net losses in 2ndQ 2013 were the highest in any quarter since LRG began tracking the industry over a decade ago
  • Over the past year, multi-channel video providers lost about 100,000 subscribers, compared to a gain of about 380,000 over the prior year. DirecTV added 107,000 subscribers over the past year, compared to 481,000 over the prior year

Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group, says “… industry-wide losse… similar to recent second quarters… multi-channel video industry has leveled-off… major providers losing about 0.1% of all subscribers over the past year… ”

Multi-Channel Video Industry Subscribers

Multi-channel Video Provider

Subscribers at the end of 2ndQ 2013

Net Adds in 2ndQ 2013

Net Adds in 2ndQ 2012

Cable Companies

Comcast

21,776,000

(159,000)

(176,000)

Time Warner

11,911,000

(189,000)

(169,000)

Charter

4,073,000

(51,000)

(72,000)

Cablevision*

3,171,000

(20,000)

0

Suddenlink

1,189,000

(22,900)

(19,900)

Mediacom

983,000

(16,000)

(22,000)

Cable ONE

575,762

(12,418)

(9,610)

Other major private companies**

6,810,000

(85,000)

(70,000)

Total Top Cable

50,488,762

(555,318)

(538,510)

Satellite TV Companies (DBS)

DirecTV

20,021,000

(84,000)

(52,000)

DISH

14,014,000

(78,000)

(10,000)

Total Top DBS

34,035,000

(162,000)

(62,000)

Telephone Companies

Verizon FiOS

5,035,000

140,000

120,000

AT&T U-verse

5,001,000

233,000

155,000

Total Top Phone

10,036,000

373,000

275,000

Total Multi-channel Video

94,559,762

(344,318)

(325,510)

Sources: The Companies and Leichtman Research Group, August, 2013; * Cablevision includes estimate for former Bresnan properties sold to Charter on 7/1/2013; ** Includes LRG estimates for Cox, and Bright House Networks

For additional information from LRG, please visit here.

2 comments about "Multi-Channel Video Subscribers Down; Industry Levels Off".
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  1. Bobby Campbell from Adkarma, August 26, 2013 at 9:46 a.m.

    New Media consumption habits and contected devices are going to continue to wreck these traditional models

  2. Kevin Horne from Verizon, August 26, 2013 at 8:54 p.m.

    That's a 0.36% loss if you're keeping score at home. At that rate, it will take 100 years to reach zero. What a "wreck"...

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