For the period 1 July to 31 December 2012 the growth was slower at 7% from the previous corresponding period, increasing to $227,711,984 up from 213,561,948. This compares to a far more robust growth rate of $31m for the January to June period, or 17%.

Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association (ASTRA) CEO Petra Buchanan toldB&T that she didn’t think the slowing of the growth in the second half of the year was anything extraordinary.

“Historically revenue growth is skewed towards the start of the calendar year so a 7% growth rate is still a very pleasing number given the current market conditions,” she said.

The numbers are still a little surprising given that the London Olympics was held in the second half of the year. Buchanan was unable to point to any one factor that led to such robust growth in the first half of the year.

Buchanan, who is stepping down from her role at the end of this month, said that incoming CEO Andrew Maiden would be starting on 18 March after the ASTRA conference.

Subscription TV reaches 7 million people on a weekly basis, with 200 genre-specific channels ranging fromdocumentary to lifestyle to sport.

Read more http://www.bandt.com.au/news/media/2012-subscription-tv-revenue-up-$45m-on-2011

and http://mumbrella.com.au/pay-televisions-advertising-revenue-continues-to-rise-144811