pay television

American  

noun

1. a commercial service that broadcasts or provides television programs to viewers who pay a monthly charge or a per-program fee.

2. the programming provided.

---

pay television British  

noun

1. Also called: subscription television.  a system by which television programmes are transmitted in scrambled form, unintelligible except to those who have paid for descrambling equipment Compare free-to-air pay-per-view

---

Etymology

Origin of pay television

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

For years, channels would temporarily disappear from cable services amid disputes over carriage fees, or what carriers pay television companies for the rights to show their programming.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 15, 2025

"We have Australian content requirements on free-to-air television and pay television, but until now, there has been no guarantee that we could see our own stories on streaming services," Burke said.

From BBC • Nov. 4, 2025

Walt Disney Chairman Bob Iger also cited the need to reach consumers who have never signed up for a pay television subscription.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 8, 2024

March Madness Live is available throughout the tournament for those who have a pay television subscription.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 16, 2022

Consumers could have an incentive to get rid of their expensive pay television packages, adopting cheaper streaming alternatives.

From New York Times • Mar. 19, 2021