HBO has gone on the offensive following a recent report that claimed the pay-TV service was bleeding subscribers (thanks to streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime).
“The research is simply incorrect. Both HBO and Cinemax services have shown significant domestic subscriber growth the past two years,” said an HBO spokesperson.
The LA Times quotes HBO as saying they added 1.9 million subscribers in 2012 and thinks that figure will hold steady when the numbers from 2013 come in.
HBO is responding to a report, published Monday, by the NPD Group. NPD claimed that a survey of 7,500 people and an analyzation of 450,000 consumer transactions led them to the conclusion that pay-TV networks like HBO, Showtime, and Starz had lost 6% of their subscriber base in the last couple of years.
Not only that, but streaming services like Netflix had gained 4%.
While it’s true that streaming services are on the rise, HBO claims that it’s not at their expense.
A showtime rep also responded, echoing HBO’s sentiments:
“Showtime and every other premium network have increased both subscribers and penetrations over the last two years…[The NPD study] does not accurately reflect actual subscriber counts.”
Subscriptions to premium #TV channels declined over the past 2 years, as Netflix and other #SVOD services grew http://t.co/MCRiq8uuRi
— The NPD Group (@npdgroup) January 20, 2014
The link above? It’s been removed by NPD. Looks like the market research company is having second thoughts about the validity of their report.
Meanwhile, HBO is continuing to work on making addicts out of us all.
Image via YouTube