Definition of subscription TV (STV)

television programming that is transmitted over the airwaves through a scrambler. Subscription TV can be viewed only by households subscribing to the service. For a monthly fee, subscribers receive a special device that is attached to their television sets and decodes the signal, allowing viewers to see the programming. STV broadcasts over standard broadcast channels that, for the most part, are independent stations featuring regular syndicated or local programming during the day, switching over to STV programming in the evening.