FAST market dominated by five channels, driving one-fifth of U.S. viewership

Free ad-supported television (FAST) in the U.S. is primarily dominated by a select few, with just five channels driving over 20% of the total viewership.

Research from Omdia, in collaboration with PlumResearch, highlighted this concentration of viewership during the Media & Entertainment Leaders Summit in London.

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According to Maria Rua Aguete, Senior Director at Omdia, the discussion around FAST has surged, particularly noting the significant growth over the past three years. Despite the availability of over 1,600 channels in the U.S., a small group has secured a disproportionate amount of audience attention.

Paramount Global, with its Pluto TV division, is leading this trend. The top five channels – Pluto TV Spotlight, Star Trek, Pluto TV Action, Pluto TV Reaction, and Pluto TV Comedy – represented 21% of consumption among the top 100 FAST channels in August 2023. When expanded to the top 20 channels, this group accounted for approximately half of all FAST channel visits in the same month.

Pluto TV’s success is not a one-time occurrence. The same channels have consistently topped the FAST consumption charts in June and July. These channels leverage intellectual property (IP) and elements of exclusivity, which are becoming increasingly crucial for channel operators.

Content discoverability is essential in the crowded FAST market.

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With 20 channels now commanding around 50% of FAST viewership in the U.S., Rua Aguete predicts more consolidation in the future, emphasizing the growing importance of exclusive and strong IP content.

While the number of FAST channels continues to increase, with major services like Samsung TV Plus, Pluto TV, and Freevee expanding their offerings, there has been a slight decrease in channels from ViX and LG Channels. This dynamic market shows the competitive edge of having a strong content library and the challenges of maintaining audience share amid a rapidly expanding field of options.