FAST channels are gaining in popularity around the world according to the latest edition of Amagi’s Global FAST Report, which reveals double-digit growth for the global FAST industry over the last year.
Comparing Q1 2024 vs the same quarter in 2023, the number of FAST channels across all platforms grew by 28 per cent, while the number of hours viewers (HOV) spent watching FAST content rose by 42 per cent globally. In Europe, the number of hours of viewing rose by 111 per cent, compared with Q1 2023.
In EMEA, unlike global and US & Canada trends, entertainment topped the charts in contribution to HOV and ad impressions. This is consistent with last year’s numbers, said Amagi, as the majority of major news channels are available free-to-air in Europe. Within entertainment, films are major drivers for growth while in lifestyle, single-IP shows in food and fashion contributed to the majority of growth.
Within documentaries, nature is the most popular category, while sport exhibited growth in viewership and ad impressions in EMEA. Monetisation-wise, entertainment, music, and sports demonstrated higher contributions to growth in ad impressions compared to other genres, said Amagi.
According to analyst Gavin Bridge, the popularity of entertainment in Europe is down to the ease which FAST allows viewers to access content, “but also plays into a common theme seen in the US where being able to easily find content not available on TV is a key driver for the success of FAST.”
