Why are people watching FAST?

FAST (Free Ad-Supported TV) channels are one of the fastest-growing areas of streaming, with strong double-digit % growth forecast each year for the next 5 years (Source: Statistica)

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“But why are viewers flocking to FAST? With SVOD services spending billions on content, surely there is enough quality content out there already?”

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The simple answer is that SVOD and FAST serve different (& complementary) customer use cases..........

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FAST use cases include lean back viewing, live & discovery. Below I explain the difference between active (lean in) and passive (lean back) viewing

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1) Active viewing (lean in viewing)

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This is that blockbuster movie you've been waiting to see, or the latest episode of your favorite series (think; Game of Thrones, Oppenheimer, live sports with your favorite team).

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This is the type of viewing you will close the doors/turn off outside distractions & watch intently (because if you miss 10 minutes, you will lose the storyline)

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This is the type of content users will pay for (important for new SVOD subscriber acquisition) (Source: Parrot Analytics )

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If somebody asks you “what you are watching” this type of content will be your reply (this is important for word of mouth) (Source: NY times)

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Therefore, these are the titles that are promoted most heavily in SVOD marketing (Source: Parrot Analytics )

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And with the notable exception of live sports/events, this type of viewing is normally preferred on demand (SVOD).

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But in terms of total minutes spent in front of the TV, typically this type of content actually makes up less % of time spent than many think (<50%) i.e. many people will happily pay €€€ to watch?90 minutes?of their favorite sports team?per week?or a new episode of their favorite series but to put this into context the average European spends?220 minutes?in front of the TV?per day (Source: Statistica )

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2) Passive viewing (lean back viewing)

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This is the TV you put on while catching up with the family, eating meals, finishing chores. This is “dip in, dip out” type content (think; news, reality TV, sitcoms, classic re-runs, “the voice” etc”).

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You don’t need to spend 20+ minutes deciding what to watch (SVOD choice fatigue). It’s immediate, easy & you can miss 10 minutes and still know what is going on.

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Viewers typically will not pay for this type of content, but will accept advertising (& watch it as long as it is targeted & relevant to them) (Source: StreamTV insider) this type of viewing is normally preferred in FAST channel format.

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If somebody asks you “what you are watching” you will rarely admit to/think of this type of content. But in terms of total minutes spent in front of the TV, typically this type of content makes up a much higher % of time spent than most think (>50%)

So what?

This customer insight (lean back vs lean in) can be used to tailor your programming strategy for different use cases of VoD and linear to maximise viewing times and create a more attractive product for customers.