Study Reveals British Viewers Pay Most For Premium Pay-TV

British viewers who want premium content pay-TV -- such as football and Hollywood movies -- "pay more than anyone else for the privilege," according to Stuart Kemp of the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Media regulator Ofcom, in its ninth annual int'l communications market report, detailed that U.K. viewers pay more than $100 a month for the "best offer" premium pay TV subscription -- defined as including the "best package of top league football" as well as films and high-definition TV. That subscription "is more than double the $44 German viewers are asked to stump up for the same level of content." Of the six nations compared by Ofcom, the U.K. landed at No. 1 in the cost rankings, with Spain ranked second at $80, followed by the U.S. at $77, Italy at $66 and France at $57. The arrival of BT Sport in the U.K. market "will be closely scrutinized" to see if it results in better deals for the consumer as it takes on Sky (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 12/12).