What is Free Ad Supported TV?
What is Free
Ad Supported TV FAST?
FAST or Free Ad
Supported TV is getting a lot of buzz these days. It is all for good reasons too. In this blog we will take a quick look at
what is Free Ad Supported TV, why it is taking off and how content owners can
roll it out.
Free Ad
Supported TV Definition
FAST stands for
Free Ad Supported TV and the definition is baked into the acronym. FAST is free streaming video content that is
free in exchange for the viewer watching the ads. FAST is the latest trend in Over the Top
Video (OTT). FAST and OTT were made for
each other. Increasingly viewers are
looking for content to watch economically, and nothing is more economical than
free.
FAST is the
latest evolution in OTT business models.
The first business model to take off was SVOD, or subscription video on
demand. Netflix, Prime, Disney+ dominate
this space and most consumers have multiple subscriptions. If you add these fees on top of expensive and
bloated cable TV bills or other Pay TV services, the costs can really
skyrocket. FAST looks a bit more like
the Skinny Bundles that were a big trend in the last decade. Paid Skinny Bundles like Sling, AT&T /
DirectTV Now, YouTube TV, Fubo, are all good examples of popular skinny bundles. These bundles mimic the large multi-channel
service (MSP) operator’s offering of channels in exchange for a monthly
subscription. However what Comcast,
Charter, Rogers, Shaw or others charge for traditional bundled services border
on the outrageous and dramatically make the case for FAST.
Free Ad Supported
TV service providers include Pluto, Tubi, Roku Channel, and Peacock, among
others. The main characteristics are many
channels available for live streaming and being able to scroll up and down a
channel line up just like on traditional cable TV. Sometimes FAST is only thought of as being
available on Smart TV’s and not offered over apps. However, that definition has
been debated as too narrow. Any platform
provider offering the ability to watch substantial amounts of live streaming
content, which is free, and is being monetized via ads, is a FAST platform. Tulix
is helping content providers put their content out there an monetize it every
day with our affiliated company, and FAST platform, Gia.TV https://gia.tv/.
Why is Free Ad
Supported TV taking off?
The reason FAST (Free
Ad Supported Television) is taking off is simple, it’s FREE! Cord cutters are looking for new content all
the time. With the proliferation of
different and multiple video package subscriptions, having some content that is
interesting to watch and is not charged for is a must. In addition to no subscription fees, consumers
don’t need to pay a rental on a set top box with FAST. These MSP rental fees can add up dramatically. FAST is available through Smart TV apps, Roku
or Firestick apps. People are very used
to the ad model and are OK with it. Consumers
also still want a simple and easy lean back option for TV viewing, … especially
when watching on a larger screen in a living room for example. “Always On” video is comforting and
inviting. Cord cutters and FAST make a
perfect match so it is no surprise FAST is taking off.
All the previous benefits
for why FAST Free Ad Supported TV is growing are from the consumer side. There are plenty of reasons why FAST is
appealing to content providers that also explain why it is expanding rapidly. From a provider side FAST is interesting
because they can monetize content in an additional way. They can provide content direct to customers
without an MSP in the mix making prices high and consumers annoyed. Much like SVOD strategies before them, FAST
allows content providers to have a direct relationship with their viewers. Some content owners may not be able to gain
enough SVOD subscribers to make a platform viable and launching a FAST service
can be a great option for them. Reaching
new viewers with traditional content is another reason to launch FAST services. FOX, CBS News and Bloomberg have embraced
this.
In our
experience FAST also opens the door to additional content providers. Some of our best customers for FAST include ethnic
TV content providers and content aimed especially at diaspora populations
hungry for programming from their homeland.
Diaspora TV and ethnic TV are perfect matches for FAST Free Ad Supported
TV!
How to deploy
Free Ad Supported TV FAST?
The best way to
launch Free Ad Supported TV FAST is to work with an OVP and a CDN. At Tulix we offer both services out of our
data centers and there is no hidden charge for cloud services from AWS or
Azure. Working with an OVP for
technology and then focusing on creating great content that viewers want to
watch is typically the best approach for content providers.
Auto scheduling is
an important feature to receive from any OVP providing FAST. This will make life easy for the content
provider. Automatically detecting ad
insertion cues and inserting ads is also critical, and when done well a good
FAST platform will be monetizing content effortlessly. If requested a FAST OVP should also enable
the ability to pause live TV, provide 7 days (or more) of stored content, plus
the viewer capability to rewind and fast forward through content. Tulix can quickly on
board and start up FAST channel origination plus all the above that
comes with it. Our
Gia TV platform can have content ready to air literally in minutes.
A CDN or content
delivery network to economically stream content is also a must. Tulix provides CDN services in our own data
center. Combining streaming
channel origination at the CDN site can save considerable headache. It can help content providers wanting to get
started with FAST the ability to combine two steps and two service providers as
well as reduce associated costs.
Want to Learn
more about Free Ad Supported TV FAST?
If you would like
to learn more about Free Ad Supported TV FAST a short consultation should be
able to determine if it is a fit for your business. In our experience, especially with our diaspora
TV and ethnic TV clients, it is best to have them get us their content and then
we do the rest. At Tulix we
work with broadcasters, content owners, startups and just about everybody who
needs streaming. Increasingly those streaming needs include Free Ad Supported TV FAST. Please reach out to us here for further
information. http://tulix.com/contact.php