Cable TV in crisis: Report flags over 5.77 lk job losses, 40 mn drop in Pay TV households

New Delhi: The All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF), in collaboration with EY India, has released a new study titled "State of Cable TV Distribution in India". The report outlines key developments, challenges, and trends affecting India’s cable television sector, which has seen significant structural shifts in recent years.

The study draws on data collected from over 28,000 Local Cable Operators (LCOs) across the country and presents an analysis of how rising operational costs and increasing competition from unregulated digital platforms are impacting the traditional cable TV ecosystem.

One of the key concerns highlighted is the sector's employment crisis. The report states that the workforce of the surveyed LCOs has declined by 31% since 2018, accounting for a reported loss of 37,835 jobs. When scaled to national levels, the total job loss is estimated to lie between 1.14 lakh and 1.95 lakh. Additionally, the closure of around 900 Multi-System Operators (MSOs) and 72,000 LCOs over the last six years has pushed the total estimated job losses beyond 5.77 lakh.

Other major findings include:

• A drop of 40 million in Pay TV households, falling from 151 million in 2018 to 111 million in 2024.
  

• 93% of LCOs reported a decline in their subscriber base during this period.
  

• 49% experienced a decrease in their monthly income.
  

• 35% stated that they had lost over 40% of their subscribers.
  

In response to these findings, the report suggests several reforms, such as:

• Creating a level playing field across all content distribution platforms.
  

• Allowing differentiated Pay TV pricing across regions based on affordability.
  

• Re-activating over 20 million inactive set-top boxes (STBs).
  

• Imposing restrictions on the free streaming of live or slightly delayed Pay TV content on alternate platforms.
  

• Developing a unified approach to combat piracy.
  

Sanjiv Shankar, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and former Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, noted the significance of the report, "This report is truly one of its kind—comprehensive, data-driven, and grounded in the realities of the ground-level cable ecosystem. It brings into focus the structural shifts and challenges within the sector, and provides a valuable evidence base for future policymaking."

S.N. Sharma, CEO of DEN Networks Limited and President of AIDCF, stated, "This report is perhaps the most comprehensive bottom-up view of the Pay TV distribution sector in recent times. The report presents not just statistics but stories of lost livelihood impacting families and entrepreneurship, and they need to be heard across the broadcasting ecosystem. We urge all stakeholders including broadcasters, regulators, and our parent ministry to use the report as a base to bring practical reforms and support the cable TV industry to thrive once again."

Ashish Pherwani, Partner, Media & Entertainment Sector at EY India, added, "This is a first-of-its-kind report that captures the true pulse of the cable TV distribution network in India. Its scale, depth of field data, and insight into last-mile realities make it a valuable resource for both industry and policymakers alike."

The report was unveiled at an event in New Delhi attended by senior policymakers, media professionals, and industry stakeholders, where discussions were held on the implications of the findings and the way forward for the sector.