The streaming industry is coming full circle. Compared with its subscription-focused beginnings, ad-supported services and scheduled, live programming have grown more prevalent this year. The growth of free ad-supported television (FAST) services bodes well for audiences, as they boast very familiar user experiences and often feature shows acquired from traditional broadcast and cable programming.
Unlike video on-demand (VOD) offerings, FAST channels often present content in grids, similar to traditional, ad-supported cable and satellite services: live and on a schedule. Many complement their scheduled programming with on-demand content, providing the best of both worlds. In the U.S., FAST services are gaining ground with viewers: the three FAST services that are independently reported in The Gauge (Roku Channel, PlutoTV, Tubi) already account for more viewing per month than all but the two top cable networks. In June 2023, these three services captured 3.3% of total TV viewing in the U.S.
In addition to presenting audiences with a familiar, cable-like experience, FAST channels are built to be adjusted quickly and accommodate shifting audience demand. In fact, new channels can be developed and added rapidly, especially when media companies and other creators seek to add new channels to existing services. In late June, for example, NBCUniversal announced plans to launch 48 FAST channels to Amazon Freevee and Xumo Play. In addition to genre-specific programming, the lineup will include dedicated channels for Saturday Night Live, Top Chef and The Real Housewives franchises.
Mengingat kecepatan di mana saluran FAST dapat dikembangkan dan diluncurkan, statistik industri tentang jumlah saluran FAST yang ada terus diperbarui. Pada Juni 2023, Gracenote Video Data memiliki catatan 1.400+ saluran FAST dalam database-nya, dengan 1.050+ saluran di antaranya tersedia di A.S.
Tersedia untuk penonton melalui koneksi internet tanpa berlangganan, saluran FAST didukung oleh iklan, dan saluran ini condong ke tren yang jarang dibahas dalam media industri: daya tarik TV klasik. Dibandingkan dengan layanan VOD tradisional, yang biasanya menawarkan campuran antara tayangan asli dan tayangan yang diperoleh dari sumber lain, saluran FAST sebagian besar dibuat untuk menampilkan konten perpustakaan - program yang awalnya ditayangkan di tempat lain (biasanya di TV tradisional).
From a viewership perspective, building channels with acquired content makes sense. In May of 2023 U.S. audiences spent 60% of their streaming time watching acquired programming—titles like Suits, NCIS, S.W.A.T and Grey’s Anatomy, which frequently appear in Nielsen’s top 10 list. In fact, Suits broke the weekly viewership record for an acquired title in June, when audiences watched 3.1 billion minutes of the dramedy between June 26 and July 2. It broke the record again when audiences watched an additional 3.6 billion minutes the very next week.
The industry’s early move away from exclusive distribution rights for titles also bodes well for individual services seeking to benefit from popular titles. The aforementioned Suits, for example, is currently available to stream on Peacock and Netflix, representing a notable shift from when Netflix paid to be the exclusive streaming home of Seinfeld for a five-year period that started in 2021. We’re seeing the same trend in the FAST space. Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and MGM, for example, recently cemented a deal to bring 23 FAST channels to Amazon Freevee, including Cake Boss and Say Yes to the Dress, which are also available on the Roku Channel and Tubi.
This trend away from exclusivity highlights the immense importance of a platform’s user experience, especially in the FAST space, where the vast majority of content is available across many services. While personalization and fulfilling content discovery journeys will be critical for success in the FAST space, they are equally relevant across all streaming services. As of June 2023, audiences in the U.S. had more than 1 million unique video titles1 to choose from—far more than any platform’s recommendation carousel can showcase. Through that lens, it’s clear that user experience will become the most important ingredient for success in the years ahead.
For additional insight, download our latest State of Play report, which focuses on the importance of data-driven personalization and streaming content discovery.
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1 Data Video Global Gracenote
