Global pay TV subs up 6% in 2010

The number of pay TV subscribers around the word rose 6% in 2010, according to research firm In-Stat.

Subscriber growth was seen in almost every region, although when it came to cable subs only western Europe saw gains. In other markets it faced severe competition from satellite and IPTV, In-Stat said.

China had the world’s largest pay TV market, ending 2010 with 160 million pay TV subscribers with Shanghai Media’s SITV the country’s largest operator. The largest regional market of IPTV subscribers was Western Europe with nearly 17.5 million, of which France has nearly 11 million.

“Nearly every region showed gains or held their own in 2010,” said Stephanie Pickering, In-Stat industry analyst. “However, cable providers were impacted, to at least some degree, by a migration to satellite and/or IPTV in virtually every region. Only western Europe showed any gains in the total number of cable TV subscribers.”