Subscription TV Adds $2.4 Billion to Economy
A report by the Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association credits the sector with 15,700 full-time equivalent jobs in 2025.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Television
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Australia's subscription television industry contributed $2.4 billion to the national economy in 2025, according to a report released by the Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association (ASTRA). The industry supported more than 15,700 full-time equivalent jobs over the year.
Why it matters
The figures quantify the financial footprint of subscription TV and streaming as viewing shifts across platforms. ASTRA's Chairman Peter O'Connell used the release to call for modernisation of the anti-siphoning scheme and a level playing field across platforms.
Australians watched a combined 2.6 billion hours of subscription TV content in 2025, averaging 10.4 hours per subscriber each week. Locally produced programming accounted for 36 per cent of total viewing, while 68 per cent of Australians watched paid streaming platforms.
The players
Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association (ASTRA)
The industry body that released the report on the economic contribution of subscription television in Australia.
Peter O'Connell
ASTRA Chairman who called for modernisation of the anti-siphoning scheme and a level playing field across platforms.
Deloitte
The consultancy that prepared the economic contribution report for ASTRA.
The details
Sport was the most-watched category across subscription TV and streaming, with one billion hours viewed in 2025. News, factual programming and documentaries accounted for 490 million hours, and light entertainment for 428 million hours.
Timeline
Since 2019: subscription TV has generated more than $2 billion in economic value annually.
Calendar year 2025: the period covered by ASTRA's economic contribution report.
4 November 2026: publication date of the report.
Industry Dynamics
The release sits within a policy debate over the anti-siphoning scheme, which reserves certain sporting events for free-to-air broadcasters. ASTRA is arguing that the rules should be updated to reflect viewing that now runs largely through paid streaming platforms.
With sport the most-watched category, the shift toward paid streaming affects how Australians access live matches and their subscription choices. The report's focus on platform fairness signals that future rules could change where certain events are shown.
The takeaway
Subscription TV now supports a large share of Australian jobs and viewing, so changes to sports-rights rules would reach a substantial audience. Readers who follow broadcasting policy may want to track how the anti-siphoning debate develops.
Further reading
For more on how the sector is changing, see the Television section.
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