News Headline
APAC (ex-China) Pay-TV revenues to reach $35 bn by 2027: MPA report
Mumbai: Media Partners Asia (MPA) has released a report titled “Asia Pacific Pay-TV Distribution 2022,” which predicts that, excluding China, Asia-Pacific (APAC) Pay-TV revenues will reach $35 billion by 2027.
According to the report, total Asia Pacific Pay-TV industry revenues, including subscriptions and advertising, will grow by an estimated 3.5 per cent in 2022 and will grow at a 2.1 per cent CAGR over the next five years.
Pay-TV subscriber growth in Asia Pacific (excluding China) will be relatively flat in 2022, with an estimated 1,06,000 subscribers cutting the cord.
The report, “Asia Pacific Pay-TV Distribution 2022,” examines the economics of the pay-TV and fixed broadband industries in 17 APAC markets, including subscribers, consumer and advertising spending, content investments, and future growth in the cable, DTH, and IPTV sectors.
Excluding China, the Asia-Pacific Pay-TV revenue pie is expected to grow 1.4 per cent in 2022 and 1.7 per cent between 2022 and 2027. India, Korea, the Philippines, and Vietnam will account for the majority of revenue growth in 2022. Between 2022 and 2027, India and Korea will continue to contribute the most to incremental revenue growth.
India, Korea, and Japan will continue to be the largest revenue-generating markets in Asia Pacific, excluding China, with a combined 74 per cent share in 2022, rising to 78 per cent by 2027. Australia, Malaysia, and the Philippines will continue to be important, contributing seven per cent by 2027, though both will experience cord cutting and face significant structural challenges.
Total Asia Pacific (ex-China) Pay-TV subscribers will increase from 232.9 million in 2022 to 234.7 million by 2027, with TV home penetration reaching 48 per cent in 2027, up from 50 per cent in 2022.
According to MPA analysis, cord cutting peaked between 2019 and 2021, with an aggregate 9.1 million subscription cancellations, driven by erosion in key markets such as Australia, Malaysia, and Thailand, as well as the contraction of the cable universe in India.
Going forward, MPA expects 1.0 million net new submarines to be added in total between 2022 and 2027, driven by India and parts of South and Southeast Asia but offset in part by contraction in all other regions. Over the 2022–27 period, India and the Philippines will lead in terms of net new subscriber growth.
India will continue to be the largest market, accounting for 52 per cent of total subs by 2027, with DTH satellite platforms driving the majority of growth as overall penetration remains flat.
Korea is the second-largest contributor, accounting for 16 per cent of subs by 2027, thanks to telco IPTV operators. Pakistan and Vietnam will each have six per cent of total pay-TV subscribers by the end of 2027, while Japan’s high ARPU but declining subscriber base will contribute five per cent by then.
Commenting on the report’s findings, MPA executive director Vivek Couto said, “Pay-TV’s future sustainability is anchored to bundled IPTV and home broadband services, with telcos and pay-TV operators also integrating premium online SVOD services through the launch of Android platforms, hybrid STBs, and various new packages. Linear TV remains important, with local and Asian content, sports, and niche international channels driving viewership. However, the growth of legal and affordable online SVOD options as well as the pervasiveness of piracy means that the value of premium sports and entertainment is migrating rapidly away from pay-TV to online. Operator consolidation grew between 2019 and 2021, and we expect more to occur in markets such as China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and Taiwan. Linear channel products are being rationalised in many markets across Southeast Asia as well as India, Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan.”
China is still the largest pay-TV market in Asia Pacific, but it is inaccessible to international investors and content providers. The high-volume, low-ARPU pay-TV market continues to expand, with total pay-TV subscribers expected to reach 578 million by 2022, representing 90 per cent penetration of TV households after accounting for multiple subscriptions. After surpassing cable TV as the largest pay-TV segment in 2019, IPTV continues to grow in terms of subscribers and revenue, owing to popular telco fibre broadband bundles and superior content offerings (particularly premium on-demand) over cable TV. MPA forecasts 41 million new IPTV subscriptions in China between 2022 and 2027, bringing the total base to 419 million by 2027, with IPTV accounting for 76 per cent of the total fixed broadband base.
Telcos & IPTV Rule Ex-India
The Asia Pacific IPTV market is expected to grow by eight per cent year on year in 2022, reaching 416.5 million subscribers, accounting for more than 60 per cent of total telco fixed broadband subscribers. China continues to drive much of the growth, followed by Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia. Telco fibre broadband deployments continue to grow as high-speed connectivity becomes more common in homes. The importance of video remains, with IPTV and VOD services critical to bolstering the broadband bundle.
According to MPA projections, total Asia-Pacific IPTV subscribers will reach 464 million by 2027. Total Asia Pacific IPTV subscription fees will rise from $20.5 billion in 2022 to $24.7 billion by 2027, representing a four per cent CAGR, driven primarily by China and Korea with incremental growth in Southeast Asia.
Meanwhile, demand for low-ARPU TV channel bundles, HD services, and hybrid DTH/internet video services drives growth in the DTH satellite pay-TV industry. With an estimated 56 million DTH subscribers in 2022, India continues to be the largest DTH market, accounting for 73 per cent of total Asia Pacific DTH pay-TV subscribers. DTH will continue to be the primary driver of growth in India’s pay-TV market, capturing the majority of new TV households entering the pay-TV ecosystem.
The Philippines’ DTH market is expanding, reflecting demand for low-ARPU platforms with national reach (such as Cignal and GSat) that aggregate local and international TV channels. The DTH pay-TV market in other markets (such as Indonesia and Thailand) has been severely impacted and downgraded.
In mature markets with SVOD and broadband competition, DTH operators continue to harvest high-ARPU subscribers with HD services and next-generation STBs with VOD and broadband connectivity. Foxtel in Australia, Sky TV in New Zealand, and Astro in Malaysia are a few examples.
According to MPA forecasts, Asia Pacific DTH industry subscription revenue will grow at a CAGR of one per cent to reach $6.3 billion by 2027. India will remain the region’s leader, followed by Japan, Malaysia, and Australia. By 2027, the Philippines will be ranked fifth.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
