Pay-TV density in Australia - Data and Analysis (2001-2033)

IBISWorld forecasts pay-TV density to decrease by 0.3 percentage points in 2025-26 to 15.4%. Traditional pay-TV subscriber numbers continue declining due to consumers' strong uptake of streaming services. According to the Australian Communications and Media Authority's 2026 report, the viewership of paid subscription streaming services was at 68%, up from 29% in 2017. Consumers are expected to continue shifting from legacy services like Foxtel to more flexible streaming alternatives like Binge and Kayo. Mounting cost-of-living pressures have also dissuaded many consumers from spending on entertainment platforms, especially pay-TV subscriptions.According to OzTAM data, household pay-TV annual subscription numbers have followed a largely downward trend from 2019-20 to 2023-24. Consumers have increasingly switched to internet-based streaming services, contributing to falling household pay-TV subscriptions over the period. Household numbers have grown strongly as subscription numbers continue to fall, driving pay-TV density down. Traditional broadcast services like Foxtel have also opted for price increases to offset the declining subscriber numbers, further encouraging some households to cancel their services and prioritise selective subscriptions over pay-TV packages. As a result, IBISWorld forecasts pay-TV density to fall at an average annual rate of 1.78 percentage points over the five years through 2024-25.