Metadata can provide differentiated experiences as FAST channels gain momentum

In today’s streaming environment, free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) services represent the newest growth segment—one that Digital TV Research Ltd. expects to generate global ad revenue of $16.5 billion by 2029. To tap into this potential, however, platforms are going to need more than just engaging video content.

It goes without saying that all video services want to offer high-quality content to audiences. The difference in FAST, however, is that much of the content that individual platforms offer is also available elsewhere.

News audiences, for example, can watch ABC News Live on Tubi, Pluto TV and the Roku Channel, while sports fans can stream the NFL Channel, MLB Channel and PGA Tour Channel on the same three services. The same is true of other genres as well, as the owner of each individual channel is seeking to reach the widest possible audience.

FAST channels are growing to keep pace with audience demand

In Q1 2025, Gracenote Video Data had a record of more than 1,600 individual FAST channels, representing an increase of 42% since the middle of 2023. What’s more, these channels offer more than 178,000 individual shows and movies to keep pace with growing viewership. Combined, Tubi, Pluto TV and the Roku Channel accounted for 4.7% of U.S. TV viewing¹ in January 2025.

The wide distribution strategies in FAST is much different than what we see on subscription video on-demand (SVOD) services. In March 2025, for example, more than 92% of the content available on Amazon Prime Video was exclusive to Amazon Prime Video².

FAST programming is also unique from SVOD content in that programming is added to platforms in the form of channels, each of which is individually curated, packaged and distributed. As a result, channels can appear on multiple services, and so can individual programs.

Episodes of The Rifleman, for example, aren’t exclusive to The Rifleman FAST channel. They’re distributed in other channels as well, including E.W. Scripps’ GRIT Xtra channel, which is available on 12 different FAST services³.

The wide availability of the GRIT Xtra channel illustrates two things:

• Content owners want to maximize distribution to ensure that their content is available to as broad an audience as possible in order to maximize ad revenue.
• The wide distribution strategies in FAST have created a redundant content landscape.
  

These factors have notable implications for FAST platforms. Most importantly, the wide availability of similar content across the landscape puts the onus of delivering a unique value proposition on something other than content.

For FAST, user experience is the opportune value proposition. While increasingly important for all publishers, user experience is paramount when content isn’t a competitive advantage. User experience also touches on the biggest complaint that viewers have with today’s streaming landscape: finding something to watch.

While the discovery dilemma is universal across the TV landscape, most FAST platforms have yet to evolve their user experiences to help audiences in their content journeys—especially when some platforms offer hundreds of individual channels.

When platforms tap into standardized and enhanced metadata, however, they’re able to create differentiated user experiences that leverage the individual characteristics of specific programming, such as theme, mood, scenario, setting and time period. 

While FAST platforms typically allow anonymous access, granular metadata is the key ingredient to developing well-curated and differentiated user experiences—a key way to stand out from the typical user experiences that exist across the FAST landscape.

As competition rises for viewers across the broadening TV landscape, success in FAST will hinge on similar strategies that are needed elsewhere. Channels need content that audiences are interested in, platforms will need to ensure that viewers can find programming that interests them and advertisers will need validation for their spending. The difference in FAST, at least in the short- to medium-term, is the relative homogeneity of the programming across platforms. Here, experience becomes paramount.

In the growing FAST realm, where the vast majority of content is widely available across channels and platforms, user experience becomes the primary value proposition to drive both differentiation and long-term business success.

For additional FAST insights, download our 2025 FAST report.

Notes

1. Nielsen’s The Gauge
2. Gracenote Global Video Data
3. “Where to Watch” GRIT Xtra FAQ