The number of free streamed (FAST) TV channels available across major markets, including the UK, has more than doubled in the past 2 years according to Gracenote.
FAST channels are available to viewers across multiple platforms and outlets.
Several TV brands, including Hisense, LG and Samsung, incorporate them alongside regular broadband channels in the TV’s programme guide.
Other channels are available through dedicated apps such as Pluto TV and Tubi, or in addition to a broadcaster’s regular channels in their catch-up app, as with ITVX which offers more than a dozen FAST channels themed around the broadcaster’s biggest brands.
The report from Gracenote, part of global media data business Nielsen, says the number of such channels in the UK, US, Germany and Canada has almost doubled since mid-2023 and now exceeds 1,610.
Nearly three-fourths of these are available in the US, which remains the leading FAST market.
Collectively, more than 178,000 unique programs, episodes and movies are available on FAST channels providing viewers abundant program options.
Today’s report uses Gracenote’s Global Video Data, the industry’s most comprehensive database of TV show and movie information.
The firm’s metadata covers 40M+ titles in 260+ streaming catalogues in 35 languages and 80+ countries and is used by many of the world’s biggest TV providers to aid both distribution and viewer discovery of content.
The report reveals that while many early FAST channels were built around older content, more than 70% of content now available through such channels has been produced since 2010.
In addition, it highlights that sports, reality and news/commentary programming make up the top three genres in FAST, and that reality the fastest-growing genre with an increase of 626% from 19 to 138 channels since July 2024.
The number of sports FAST channels has more than doubled in the last year to 220 today, with fans now able to enjoy a raft of new and classic sports fixtures plus related programming at no charge.
“FAST is in many ways a unique service, but its lifeblood is still content,” said Tim Cutting, Chief Revenue Officer at Gracenote.
“So, program-level metadata providing understanding of FAST content is more important than ever to audience engagement and advertising initiatives.”