NEWS
Astro local content engagement rises to 79% of total watch time; gross pay-TV subscriptions up 52%, revenue drops
26 March 2025
Malaysian platform Astro says local content accounted for 79% of total watch time on its TV platforms for the 12 months to end January 2025, rising from 64% five years ago. Theatrical films were up 10%, ending the year with box office of RM121 million/US$27 million and the promise of “something even bigger” in 2025 with the Keluang Man superhero universe.
Group chief executive, Euan Smith, said in the latest earnings report that pay TV gross customer additions were up 52% for the year, “our highest level in four years and marks the first time in over a decade that our pay TV gross additions are trending up year on year”.
“This contributed towards an 84% reduction in net video customer losses in FY25, a significant reversal that signals our strategies are starting to work,” Smith said. He attributed the increase to a revision of subscription packs in December 2024.
At the same time, revenue dropped to RM766 million in the year to end January 2025 (FY25) from RM820 million the previous year, impacted by lower subscription and adex. EBITDA dropped just under 28% to RM171 million from RM236 million the previous year.
TV engagement was led by the 11th season of flagship reality singing competition, “Gegar Vaganza”, which was watched by 8.8 million TV viewers and amassed 1 billion views on TikTok.
Astro says its top three dramas for the year were all Astro productions, topped by “Andai Tiada Dia”, which attracted 7.7 million TV viewers.
The platform also name-checked “Project: Exit”, which explores mental health and family conflicts, and “Pasanga” season two, built upon the success of Malaysia’s longest-running and most-watched local Tamil series.
Astro said it was involved in all of the top five Malaysian films in 2024, led by Skop Productions and Astro Shaw’s action thriller “Sheriff: Narko Integriti”, which grossed RM60.5 million/US$13.7 million at the box office.
Streaming app sooka recorded a 13% year-on-year increase in monthly ac...
Malaysian platform Astro says local content accounted for 79% of total watch time on its TV platforms for the 12 months to end January 2025, rising from 64% five years ago. Theatrical films were up 10%, ending the year with box office of RM121 million/US$27 million and the promise of “something even bigger” in 2025 with the Keluang Man superhero universe.
Group chief executive, Euan Smith, said in the latest earnings report that pay TV gross customer additions were up 52% for the year, “our highest level in four years and marks the first time in over a decade that our pay TV gross additions are trending up year on year”.
“This contributed towards an 84% reduction in net video customer losses in FY25, a significant reversal that signals our strategies are starting to work,” Smith said. He attributed the increase to a revision of subscription packs in December 2024.
At the same time, revenue dropped to RM766 million in the year to end January 2025 (FY25) from RM820 million the previous year, impacted by lower subscription and adex. EBITDA dropped just under 28% to RM171 million from RM236 million the previous year.
TV engagement was led by the 11th season of flagship reality singing competition, “Gegar Vaganza”, which was watched by 8.8 million TV viewers and amassed 1 billion views on TikTok.
Astro says its top three dramas for the year were all Astro productions, topped by “Andai Tiada Dia”, which attracted 7.7 million TV viewers.
The platform also name-checked “Project: Exit”, which explores mental health and family conflicts, and “Pasanga” season two, built upon the success of Malaysia’s longest-running and most-watched local Tamil series.
Astro said it was involved in all of the top five Malaysian films in 2024, led by Skop Productions and Astro Shaw’s action thriller “Sheriff: Narko Integriti”, which grossed RM60.5 million/US$13.7 million at the box office.
Streaming app sooka recorded a 13% year-on-year increase in monthly active users to 1.2 million.
Our homegrown over-the-top (OTT) platform, sooka, is now on a winning streak and charted record growth in FY25. As the only standalone app in Malaysia offering live sports alongside a strong slate of Astro’s original local content, sooka has carved out a unique space in the market.
For FY25, the company posted PATAMI of RM129 million/US$29 million and normalised PATAMI of RM66 million/US$14.9 million on a full-year basis.
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