M+E Connections

Audiences are increasingly embracing free ad-supported streaming television (FAST), with almost 50 percent of US viewers already watching FAST channels and most watching the same or more FAST content over the past year, according to the findings of a new Whip Media report, conducted in partnership with MIPCOM.

Among the other key findings of the report were: Programming is driving increases in FAST viewership, pointing to the importance of matching the correct content with the correct audience, and unlocking territory-level preferences for specific genres, as well as content that travels best beyond borders, is crucial in launching a FAST service in strategic markets.

The biggest takeaway was no matter where an organisation is looking to start a new FAST service, making sure it provides a content slate appealing to viewers is needed to achieve success.

To do that, however, an organisation must be mindful of the content genres its audience tends to enjoy and the countries that produce movies and shows that travel best to the company’s home market, according to the report.

The importance of data

“TV fans are getting used to life in the FAST lane – and that makes viewer data all the more important for FAST channel providers,” the report read.

FAST is “one of the fastest-growing segments of the entertainment industry, both in the U.S. and abroad,” it read, adding “data makes that clear.”

Forty-eight percent of U.S. viewers watch FAST channels at least a few times each month, according to survey data. Of those viewers, seven out of 10 said FAST channels were at least sometimes their first choice when it came to how they watched their content.

During the past year, 78 percent of FAST viewers said they were watching the same amount of FAST content or more. “FAST is gaining real traction, and there are a few reasons for it,” the report said.

One reason for that trend is that the “F” in FAST is highly appealing, especially as subscription costs continue to increase, according to the report.

Meanwhile, the majority of TV fans are “juggling a handful” of subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services including Netflix and Disney Plus, “but the ability to weave in a free service or two can help viewers reduce their monthly streaming budgets,” the report said.

Combine that with the medium’s “familiar viewing experience of turning on a TV and watching curated programming, and FAST operators have a strong foundation to build on with consumers,” the report said.

“But if you’re looking to start a FAST channel of your own, it’s important to remember the old adage that ‘content is king.’” It said.

The importance of genre

The report also looked at the types of content that work best in certain markets “now.

“There are often major differences in genre preference by country – even when those countries are close in proximity and/or cultural norms,” according to Whip Media.

Around the world, crime is one of the most popular genres of movies and shows, according to Whip Media’s viewership data. However, the genre’s popularity can still vary a lot from market-to-market, the report said.

In the UK, 83 percent of viewers watched at least one crime show or movie in the first half of 2023, edging the US (81 percent) out in terms of crime viewers during that same period.

Whip Media’s 2023 survey data was fielded in mid-July to 2,011 TV viewers in the US.