: a service providing noncommercial television programming (such as recent movies and entertainment specials) by means of a scrambled signal to subscribers who are provided with a decoder

called also pay television

compare pay-cable, subscription tv

Examples of pay-TV in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As Commercial Chief Sports streamer DAZN has appointed a top exec from its Australia pay-TV subsidiary, Foxtel, as its Group Chief Commercial Officer. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2025 Like other traditional media companies, Paramount — parent of CBS, Paramount Pictures, Paramount+ and Pluto TV, MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and BET — has seen longer-term downturns in traditional advertising and distribution revenue as pay-TV subscribers shift toward streaming. Todd Spangler, Variety, 18 Oct. 2025 Charter Communications and its Spectrum brand has spent the last couple of years reimagining its pay-TV product for a streaming era. Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2025 For the first time in over 30 years, pay-TV’s penetration has slipped below 50%, making a niche product of what was once a fixture in nearly 94% of American homes. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pay-TV

Word History

First Known Use

1954, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pay-TV was in 1954

Cite this Entry

“Pay-TV.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pay-TV. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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