FAST channels are booming, with viewership up 55% as consumers seek free, high-quality content. TMB’s Jill Goldfarb shares insights on growth, content strategies, and ad innovations driving this shift.
The FAST market is experiencing remarkable growth, with consumers increasingly turning to these channels as a cost-effective alternative to traditional cable and paid streaming services.
According to recent research, viewers watch 55% more free TV channels than last year, with 60% of consumers viewing FAST as an effective way to reduce subscription costs. This shift in consumer behavior is driven by rising subscription fees, market fragmentation, and a growing demand for accessible, high-quality content.
As FAST channels continue to gain popularity, they are poised to impact traditional cable significantly and paid streaming services in the coming years. This Q&A explores the FAST market’s growth trends, content strategies, and advertising models, with insights from Jill Goldfarb, Senior Vice President, Streaming TV and TV Programming on how companies like TMB adapt to capitalize on this rapidly expanding sector.
Andrew Byrd: How has the growth rate of FAST channels in the U.S. changed over the past year, and what factors drive this trend? 
Jill Goldfarb: Over the past few years, FAST channels in the U.S. have seen significant growth. In our research among TMB audiences (Inner Circle Streaming Study), viewership rose by 45%, with our At Home channel growing by 270%.
This trend is driven by increasing subscription fees, market fragmentation, and growing consumer demand for free, quality content. Our study reveals that 55% of our audience now watches more free TV channels than last year.
AB: With 60% of consumers viewing free TV channels to keep subscription costs down, how will this impact traditional cable and paid streaming services in the coming years?
JG: FAST channels are a great option for viewers looking for quality programming while being affordable and easily accessible. FAST continues to grow and take audiences from traditional cable and paid streaming services.
AB: How is TMB adapting its content strategy to capitalize on the growing FAST market?
JG: We have been in the FAST market since the beginning of 2017 and are currently one of the most distributed channel groups across all of FAST.
Our channels, including FailArmy, The Pet Collective, and At Home with Family Handyman, have seen great success. TMB has a fantastic group of well-known and respected brands. We have the unique advantage of offering viewers and advertisers a diverse portfolio of channels based on our brands to meet their interests and needs with exclusive, original television programming.
AB: As the FAST market becomes more saturated, what strategies are TMB employing to stand out and attract viewers and advertisers?
JG: TMB stands out by reaching audiences where they are and delivering real value to advertisers. It starts with our great brands — they’re fun, inspiring, and relatable, with exclusive, original TV productions that advertisers can’t find anywhere else. We provide show-level transparency to advertisers as part of our strategy to differentiate ourselves and grow in the FAST market. Thanks to our data-driven insights, we help brands connect with viewers super effectively and strategically.
AB: With the average FAST viewer using multiple platforms, how is TMB approaching distribution to ensure its content reaches the widest possible audience?
JG: We want to make sure our viewers can find us wherever they watch and wherever they are. To accomplish this goal, we’ve partnered with a wide range of FAST channel providers (30 platforms and 28 countries worldwide), including Samsung, The Roku Channel, Pluto, and LG.
AB: With the highly fragmented CTV ecosystem, what steps are publishers taking to ensure their content is discoverable and accessible across multiple platforms and devices?
JG: Discoverability in the FAST and CTV ecosystem is vital. We focus on robust platform partnerships, strategic content curation, and user-friendly experiences to make our channels accessible. Perhaps most important is TMB’s ability to deliver recognizable brands with highly engaged audiences and promote and drive our audiences across all of our TMB platforms: print, digital, social, and streaming.
AB: Given the rapid growth in FAST viewership, how do you see the advertising model evolving to serve viewers and advertisers better?
JG: As FAST continues to grow — expect data sharing, measurement transparency and unified standards to evolve along the lines of traditional television to enable advertisers to better understand where and how to buy.
Additionally, expect to see new ad products that will keep viewers engaged while increasing ad units, like interactive and shoppable.