FAST Channel Growth Rate Slows In U.S. As Sector Matures, But New Report Still Finds An Array Of Almost 2,000 Unique Outlets

EXCLUSIVE: The growth rate of free, ad-supported streaming television [FAST] is slowing in the U.S., but a new report has still identified 1,943 unique offerings.

Gavin Bridge, a longtime researcher and writer focused on FAST, said the overall tally as of this month rose 13% from May 2023 and 47% from May 2022. General entertainment continues to account for the largest share of overall channels, with 1,092.

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“Over the course of the last five years the industry has seen a content shift, where services who used to have to beg for video content are now in the enviable position of being able to pick and choose which channels they feature in their line-ups,” the report notes.

A number of major players in media, including Warner Bros. Discovery, have gotten into the FAST game in earnest recently, but they don’t account for the most widely distributed channels.

Court TV, Forensic Files, Game Show Central, Heartland, LOL! Network and Unsolved Mysteries tied for the widest distribution, according to the report, with 13 platforms. Court TV is operated by Scripps; Forensic Files and Unsolved Mysteries by FilmRise; Game Show Central by Sony Pictures and LOL! Network by Hartbeat.

Movies are an increasingly popular focus in FAST, with the category growing 50% year-over-year to reach 236. Channels with a mix of genres are the most popular, the report said, with Lionsgate’s MovieSphere one prominent example. The total volume of channels, meaning the overall number carried across all FAST platforms, jumped 74.3% in the same period, which the report said was an indication that FAST platforms “view a strong offering of movie channels to be important for consumers.”

The report analyzed services whose programming could be tracked between January 2022 and May 2024. The roster includes ABC, CW Channels, Freevee, Google TV, LG Channels, Local Now, News by Fire TV (national channels only), Peacock (FAST channels only), Plex, Pluto TV, Redbox Watch Free, Samsung TV Plus, Sling Freestream, STIRR, Tubi, Vix, Vizio WatchFree+ and Xumo Play.

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