Pay-TV providers face worst quarter ever for subscriber losses in Q2
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Michelle Clancy
| 30 July 2019

Cable, satellite and telco TV providers in the US are facing a record number of quarterly subscriber losses.

According to analysis from MoffettNathanson, three of the top traditional pay-TV providers — Comcast, AT&T/DirecTV and Charter – have lost a combined 1.25 million subscribers in the second quarter. Other top providers have yet to report, but the losses already total about 1.1 million more cancelled subscriptions than during the same period last year.

It means that overall pay TV subscriber losses are on track to see a record 5.5% drop during Q2.

When factoring in virtual MVPD options like Sling TV and DirecTV Now, that percentage improves to a 2.7% decline during Q2—which would still be a record.

“With Comcast’s, AT&T’s and Charter’s [second quarter] earnings in the books, the early read on traditional cord-cutting is freaking ugly,” according to the MoffettNathanson report. “The growth of cord-cutting and the continued decline in viewership are weighing on advertising as well, as we forecast flat growth for the quarter.”