Free streaming channels are sweeping the globe. In conjunction with free on-demand content (AVOD), free ad-supported streaming TV, known as FAST, is now available in the vast majority of countries, less than 10 years after it was conceived in the United States.
In an effort to show just how big FAST is growing, Variety Intelligence Platform has conducted a data dive into its scope worldwide. While the U.S. remains the largest market for the conceivable future, opportunities exist internationally, as the likes of Pluto, Rakuten, Samsung, LG, Roku, Plex, Freevee, Tubi and Xumo have all learned.
The initial key to global expansion has been economies of scale. Many services originating in the U.S. — all of the above save for Rakuten — began their expansions into English-speaking regions as well as others where they already had content (primarily German- and Spanish-speaking countries). This has helped to fuel further growth and content acquisition in local territories.
As the top five FAST markets by 2027 are estimated by media analytics firm Omdia to be the U.S., the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Germany, those are the focus of this special report. Inside you’ll find a detailed look at the services available in each region, as well as an exploration of the type of content available on their local FAST channels.
It’s no coincidence, though, that four of the five top markets are English speaking. Having a shared culture and language with the powerhouse of FAST means that content can easily travel from one region to another.
And it’s not all one-way traffic from America, as companies including Blue Ant Media (Canada) and the BBC (U.K.) have demonstrated, using the U.S. as a petri dish for channels and then successfully exporting them across the world.
Global FAST sees the giants from the U.S. — which in this case include Korean tech titans LG and Samsung, given that they began their FAST services in the States — typically dominating local lineups.
In the U.K., for example, just one of the seven major services is domestically owned — ITVX, which only launched in December 2022. Australia is a different case, however, with three local broadcasters and each already operating FAST services.
VIP+’s report will provide an overview of how FAST is faring in these key markets and show the plethora of content opportunities within them.
