In our annual state-of-the-FAST-industry report, Fast & Curious 4, One Touch Intelligence examines how the FAST ecosystem has evolved from a land grab of channels into a more mature and increasingly strategic video marketplace. No longer an experimental side project, FAST has become a core part of the TV business. And drawing on StreamTRAK® data covering more than 2,000 FAST channels across 15 major U.S. providers, platforms are working hard to differentiate themselves as a few content owners attempt to control the top channels offering up the best intellectual property to drive the highest viewership.
Sharply different FAST programming strategies have emerged, from sports-heavy offerings and music-focused experiences to hyper-local news hubs and multilingual channel portfolios. It’s literally a content bazaar as content exclusivity and genre specialization remain important competitive tools, even as consumers become less concerned with whether a channel arrives via broadcast, cable, AVOD, or FAST. Competitors, meanwhile, are trying to understand which companies control the FAST landscape, how channel distribution varies across platforms, and why providers like Amazon, Walmart (Vizio), Samsung, and DirecTV are taking notably different approaches to building their free streaming ecosystems.
On the advertising front, FAST is also getting more sophisticated. Ad load gaps have narrowed across providers as ad repetition rates improve and categories ranging from automotive and insurance to pharmaceuticals and sports dominate – all as interactive advertising becomes more prominent, with the current reliance on QR codes expected to evolve into more sophisticated shoppability over the next few quarters. Overall, the FAST universe is entering a less chaotic, more disciplined, and increasingly integrated phase that’s forcing media executives to master this quirky corner of the video ecosystem. For anyone trying to understand where FAST stands today and where it’s headed next, consider this report a data-rich look beneath the surface of one of streaming’s most influential segments.
