Live sports: the last bastion of pay TV, but for how long?

Pay-TV markets are seeing an unprecedented evolution, driven by technology investments, shifting consumer behaviour and competition (including from OTT players). This quarterly series outlines the latest market developments and the key trends to watch, charting the period to 2030. The report also provides comprehensive cross-country comparisons at your fingertips, allowing you to identify which markets or technologies will grow the most or how OTT competition will impact the adoption of traditional pay TV.

This edition of the Industry Checkpoint series focuses on pay TV, including traditional pay TV and OTT video services, highlighting how the market has changed in the last six months and its implications. The report considers four major developments: M&A activity intensifying throughout the media value chain; Charter turning a corner, providing a glimmer of hope for US cable-TV operators under pressure; a new wave of win–win partnerships emerging in OTT video; and an example of a new business model making inroads in pay-TV distribution.

GSMA Intelligence's Chart of the Month is a visual way of telling an important story in the mobile and broader tech ecosystem. From the shape and size of markets to trends in consumer behaviour, we aim to provide food for thought through informative visuals designed to bring colour and clarity to complex issues facing the industry. This edition looks at viewing trends for Netflix and the streaming market.