Cable TV has been shrinking forever — from 100 million subscribers in 2016 to 62 million now. But there's a floor.
The US pay TV industry, which has seen a massive decline in subscribers since 2016, may be approaching a stabilization point of 50 million subscribers by 2030. Analysts suggest that the remaining audience is driven primarily by live sports and bundled streaming services.
Why it matters
This indicates a potential end to the 'cord-cutting' era, signaling a shift in how media companies monetize content and manage the transition from traditional cable to digital distribution.
People keep their pay TV for things like sports, like watching Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Michael Owens/Getty Images Hard to believe, but not very long ago, more than 100 million people subscribed to pay TV in the US. That number has been shrinking for years and will probably be down to 50 million by 2030. The good news for the TV business: That 50 million number is probably going to be as low as it goes. The pay TV business has been shrinking year after year after year. But that continual collapse may be ending. Analysts at MoffettNathanson say they are finally seeing a "floor" at the bottom of the industry's long side. They think that by 2030, the industry will stay put at around 50 million US subscribers.
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