• by Wayne Friedman , May 28, 2015

Global pay TV revenues will see slow growth in the next five years -- only rising by 2.6% between 2014 and 2020 to $207 billion.

This follows growth of 14.5% between 2010 and 2014. The research results come from a survey of 138 countries, according to Digital TV Research.

Total revenues in North America will drop by 11.7% in the next five years, and Western Europe will be flat at $32 billion; while the Asia Pacific region will gain a big 30%.

Increasingly, global satellite TV revenues will overtake total cable TV revenues, beginning in 2015. In five years, by 2020, satellite TV revenues will reach $94.8 billion; with cable revenues at $81.9 billion in five years. Revenues from IPTV platforms will climb to $27.9 billion in 2020; triple its number in 2010.

One major reason for cable’s decline is analog-delivered cable TV service -- revenues will sink by $14.4 billion between 2014 and 2020 to only $1.5 billion.

However, worldwide digital cable TV revenues will climb by 5.6% to $80.3 billion in 2020 from $76.1 billion in 2014. In the U.S., digital cable TV revenues will fall by $8.9 billion between 2014 and 2020 to $34.1 billion.

Satellite TV's share of revenue will rise to 46% in 2020 up from 44% in 2014. Cable TV revenues (both analog and digital) will drop to 40% in 2020 from 46% in 2014.

IPTV platforms continue to be the the fastest-growing platform rising to 13% in five years from as 10% share in 2014.