Pay TV revs to grow 13.5% by 2017

Global pay TV revenues will grow by only 13.5% between 2011 and 2017, according to a new report. But while revenues are expected to fall in the U.S. due to competition and more homes taking pay TV, broadband and telephony in one package, Latin America will jump 57.7%, followed by Eastern Europe at 48.5% and Asia Pacific at 40.1% in the next six years. This is according to Digital TV World Revenue Forecasts, published by U.K.-based Digital TV Research, which surveyed 80 countries. The U.S. will remain the world's largest pay TV revenue earner by some distance at $81.04 billion in 2017, down $1.2 billion on the 2011 take as more homes convert to bundles and prices dip due to competition. However, it easily outstrips the two next biggest markets, Japan and Brazil, predicted to be worth $10.6 billion and $10.1 billion respectively, with Brazil's revenues doubling over the period. These countries are followed by China ($9.71 billion), the U.K. ($8.4 billion) and Canada ($7.2 billion). Report author Simon Murray said, "Brazil in particular is going gangbusters due to government liberalization encouraging overseas investment. "In North America and most parts of Western Europe pay TV is a mature market. "Latin America and Asia-Pacific, especially India, are the growth pay TV markets."