pay television

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

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of pay television¹

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

He had criticised Disney for responding too slowly as pay television subscribers started to flee in 2015 and said big gambles, such as Mr Iger's decision to buy a hefty chunk of Rupert Murdoch's media empire in 2019, had not paid off.

From BBC

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

But you can expect it to cost more than the $15 or so a month that most streaming companies charge, and less than the $100 or so it costs each month to subscribe to a pay television package.

From New York Times

Well, you subscribe to a pay television package, or in the case of Amazon, Amazon Prime.

From New York Times

You can get what is shown on CBS and NBC with a cheap digital antenna, but if you want the games on USA or the CBS Sports Network, you’ll have to get a pay television package.

From New York Times