Dish Drops 94K Net Video Subs in Q1

Sling TV subscriber additions weren’t enough to overcome broader satellite TV losses at Dish Network in Q1.

Dish said net pay TV subs declined about 94,000 in Q1, narrowed from a year-ago decline of 143,000.

In Q1, net Dish satellite TV subs dropped by 185,000 offset in part by adds of 91,000 Sling TV subscribers.

Dish closed Q1 with 10.84 million satellite TV subscribers and 2.3 million Sling TV subs. Dish ended the period with combined pay TV sub base of 13.14 million, down from 13.52 million in the year-ago quarter.

Dish said satellite TV’s average monthly subscriber churn rate was 1.47%, improved from 1.92% in Q1 2017. Overall pay TV ARPU in Q1 was $84.50, down from $86.55, reflecting an increase of subs on the lower-margin Sling TV service.

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On the financial end, Q1 revenues were $3.46 billion, down from $3.68 billion in the year-ago quarter. Q1 net income was $368 million, versus $376 million in Q1 2017.

Dish is scheduled to discuss Q1 results in more detail today at noon ET.