Enhancing FAST Channel Distribution with Satellite

FAST channels (Free Ad-supported Television) are booming worldwide and are disrupting traditional video consumption. According to Kantar, FAST is the quickest-growing streaming option in the U.S. with 47% of households now utilizing FAST every week.

So, what’s driving FAST adoption? Cost and accessibility are key drivers. Viewers are being pushed towards free ad-supported options due to price hikes by many subscription streaming services. Additionally, the pace of new content creation has slowed.

FAST channels are mostly made up of archival programming that has already aired, however, data shows that the U.S. audience spends a lot of its time watching this type of content. In May 2023, Nielsen reported that U.S. audiences spent 60% of their time on streaming applications watching “acquired content” or previously run content.

Accessibility is another key driver in the rapid adoption of FAST. You only need an internet connection and a compatible device (connected TV) to access FAST channels. There is no need to buy packages or dedicated equipment. But what about those who live in areas where internet connectivity is sparse and can be unreliable or those who do not own a connected TV? As of now, FAST channels are mostly available through internet-based streaming, however, there are still large parts of the United States that lack viable broadband connectivity, leaving members of these communities unreachable by FAST operators. There are also pockets of the population who do not own televisions connected to cable or the internet.

Satellite will play a key role in supplementing FAST channel distribution making FAST content available to those who are unconnected or without a reliable broadband connection.

WeDo TV, a prominent global FAST channel provider, is bringing its channel, WeDo Big Stories, to the United States utilizing satellite capacity on Intelsat’s Galaxy 19 (G-19). This is the first satellite to bring a WeDo channel to the United States, bringing FAST together with traditional linear distribution. G-19 is an excellent fit for distributing FAST channels as it provides a direct-to-home (DTH) free-to-air (FTA) platform.

WeDo Big Stories will also be incorporating an analytics layer to their channel which will give content providers data and value similar to distributing over IP. Amtecco, a leading innovator in media delivery and transcoding, will be adding a technology layer to monitor viewer analytics, something that traditionally could only be done through Pay-TV services and connected devices. This will provide real-time insights into audience demographics, viewing patterns, and content preferences, information historically unavailable in an open free-to-air environment.

Learn more about Intelsat’s Media Solutions and how they help content providers capitalize on viewership opportunities.