FASTMaster August 2023
FAST Across the World, FAST Lane 5 Report Release, Brandification of FAST, FAST Originals, International Channels and Google TV
Hello dear readers and what a busy month it has been. I felt bad having to turn down events for Vizio and another smart TV OEM for personal reasons, but I think I would have turned to dust had I done them on top of the travel to Korea to discuss FAST the prior week at Broadcast Worldwide. More on that below, but what an enjoyable experience that was.
(If you’re wondering about the FASTMaster name, this year that is now events I’ve been invited to in Canada, France, Australia and Korea as well as domestic ones. Quite proud of this year!).
It was also the month where Variety Intelligence Platform released the latest ‘Life in the FAST Lane’ report for its fifth iteration, this time as a subscriber exclusive. I’ve been told by many in the industry that they feel like these reports are the best in FAST, so if you haven’t already read it, consider it! Nothing else will provide an overview of the various facets of FAST, including lovely information break downs like:
Before I get too deep in the weeds, an announcement of sorts. If anyone needs an experienced marketer with strong FAST experience, drop me a note as I know someone who would just love to talk.
Also, something I just literally uncovered. You may recall that I wrote a piece for Variety in May where the real focus was on Disney’s secret FAST channels which are only available on the ABC app. These are now being referred to as “Unlocked Channels” within it and the main focus on the splash page as you open the app:
Really intrigued to see ultimately where these channels also end up. It’s also fascinating viewing this experiment in real-time (as well as being the only analyst to notice) as Disney’s testing out a whole bunch of channels here. For two months, there was a “Desperate Housewives” single-IP channel, for instance.
Even though this edition of Life in the FAST Lane is a paywall exclusive for VIP+ subscribers, a great benefit of releasing a report is that I get to write articles that serve both as promos for the report but dive deep into a particular facet. There are three free-to-read analyses this month, detailed below.
The Brandification of FAST looks at how TV networks and movie studios are both increasingly entering FAST as they see the revenue and want a cut, but also incorporating their existing brands into channel names.
Behind the Growth of International FAST Content examined the rise of non-English/Spanish language channels available in the U.S. on major FAST platforms. This took off recently thanks to Sling Freestream adding every MENA, Pakistani and Indian channel they could take, but viewership really comes from curated channels.
Related to this was my coverage of the launch of ‘BINGE Korea,’ the first K-Content FAST service in the U.S. from NEW ID. I have a feeling that this is the tip of the iceberg and we’ll see many more of these in the coming years. A tip of the hat to NEW ID for building upon their FAST channel success and launching this innovation.
The above chart shows just why BINGE Korea is a smart idea, as 43% of people in the U.S. were found to have consumed K-Content in 2022 in a study from the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
One of the biggest misperceptions about FAST is how it is nothing but reruns and there are no originals. That couldn’t be further from the truth and is something I examined in detail in this analysis on FAST originals. I was quite proud of the reaction this got within the industry so if you haven’t read it yet, don’t be late!
Google TV added a new batch of channels to their native FAST service, and I examined what this meant for the service in my unique fashion (charts and analysis versus straight regurgitation). Google TV may be the most recent FAST service to launch, but they certainly are not one to sleep on.
It also means that Google’s now north of 100 channels, but looking at the chart above, how wild is it that there are now four services with 400 or more, another four with 300 or more channels, and two more just touching 300?
I noted this on LinkedIn, but if you want a hint about the next big trend in FAST it’s celebrity channels. Kevin Hart is the originator here, Ryan Reynold’s recently launched a channel, and Mr. Beast just came out with one last week on Roku Channel. They won’t be the only ones…
Something else from LinkedIn was looking at the CNN Max news and asking why lock up the exclusive, non-CNN cable, content on an SVOD when CNN Headline is the only FAST news channel not featuring live original programming.
Now for BCWW! What a great experience it was to get to travel to Seoul and present to a new audience what the rise of FAST in the U.S. meant and how to apply it to other markets. The attendees had a great interest level in FAST and I also had a very informative and educating time. To everyone who spoke to me or helped look after me, as well as the organizers for bringing me over, thank you!
The presentation focused on some key trends in FAST, including the above which I don’t believe anyone’s tried to quantify before. Overall, just under half of FAST channels that were available in July 2020 across Samsung TV Plus, Roku Channel, Pluto TV and Xumo Play remain today. Perhaps some day I’ll be able to calculate the annual attrition rates of services! (All I need is time).
I will close this month’s edition with a shot from BCWW. A highlight in what has been a year of unexpected highlights. Until next time, enjoy the last vestiges of summer for my northern hemisphere people (southern hemisphere friends: good luck) and stay safe.