(13 November 2007 1:00 pm)

MUMBAI: The US dominates the pay-HDTV market with six million homes accessing HDTV via cable, satellite or IPTV subscriptions by year-end 2007.

When free HDTV programming is added to the equation, Japan boasts the largest HDTV base with 9.2 million households by the end of this year. But Japan's market lead will be a short-lived.

SNL Kagan forecasts that the US will take the top slot by the end of 2008 with six million additional homes adopting HD.

Global High Definition Television Trends," a new study from SNL Kagan reports that pay-TV operators are increasingly using HDTV service to distinguish themselves in competitive markets. HD programming is shaping multichannel economics around the world, delivering competitive advantages and significant new revenue streams.

Although the US and Japan are market leaders by volume, Canada and France lead the world in HDTV penetration of pay-TV households. SNL Kagan's analysis shows that both countries will hold this penetration advantage for the foreseeable future.

SNL Kagan senior analyst Ben Reneker says, "As competition between cable, satellite and IPTV intensifies, HD programming becomes increasingly important.

"At this point, operators are looking for any possible means to get an edge on the competition. In addition to providing a new revenue stream, a strong HDTV lineup offers a powerful bragging right."