The FAST4EU Consortium, led by OKAST.TV have just released their latest white paper, ‘FAST in Europe’, written by global TV &content consultancy, 3Vision.
The white paper examines the state of the FAST channel market across Europe, including how its development is differing compared to the US, delving into growth trends, key players and unique challenges, painting a clear picture of this dynamic market and where it’s heading.
Despite Europe’s FAST scene being behind the US in terms of progression, its media landscape is changing rapidly as FAST grows out from the margins of the market to take a more significant role. These free, ad-supported TV services are growing in popularity, benefiting from an increasing number of connected TV households and a pricing proposition perfect for homes living through a cost-of-living crisis.
In Europe, we are entering a new phase of FAST development characterised by greater quality and premium brands. As major media players and bigger brands move in it may present challenges for smaller local players, however it is the local players that may hold the key to growth with some of the most popular and well-known content. Similarly, those looking to distribute their content to platforms face the harsh performance conditions needed to stay on a service, as platforms become more discerning about their channel portfolio.
The variation within the European market, and all the cultural diversity that it offers, means local FAST activity will need support as it looks to find its place in a fragmented ecosystem. US Studios are entering the market at a brisk pace whilst Platforms continue to operate in a market whose regulation is very different from traditional television environments. Distribution across the multitude ofPlatforms remains somewhat of a “Wild West”, as the many different markets ofEurope work to ensure regulation catches up with developments.
Collating data and analysis from3Vision and FAST4EU members with key market leaders including BBC Studios, ZDFStudios, Samsung TV Plus, Rakuten TV, Qwest TV and more, the paper gives a much-needed fresh look at a rapidly growing space in the TV industry.
3Vision brings fresh data on how the FAST channel market is growing, including analysis on:
- US channel growth: new channel owners and channel volume
- Major FAST platform growth in Europe including newly launched services in the past 12 months
- The growth of Single-IP channels and scripted content
- The power of local content and platform partnerships
- Channel churn: Channels that have been removed from platforms
- The key challenges and success criteria for FASTin Europe
The FAST4EU Consortium, led byOKAST.TV, brings key insight on the practical side of launching a FAST channel, including:
- How to successfully launch a FAST channel
- How to secure your distribution
- Considerations for monetisation including CPM sand Ad loads, the basic monetisation model, and revenue share vs inventory share
- The key challenges and success criteria for optimising advertising revenue and distribution
“It's an important time to stop and talk about the FAST market with so much rapid growth and activity. There is a lot to learn from the US market but there are also many differences and many challenges to overcome in this exciting sector in Europe”
Jack Davison, EVP at 3Vision
“In Europe, the already crowded landscape diminishes the initial 'unfair' advantage of FAST channels being free. Platforms must prioritise discoverability and invest in personalisation tools. This strategic approach is necessary to amplify audience engagement and achieve the necessary volume for the ad market to embrace this evolving distribution model fully"
Cedric Monnier, CEO at OKAST
About FAST4EU
Embracing the essence of European innovation, FAST4EU is a consortium dedicated to reshaping the streaming landscape. With a foundation rooted inEuropean values and vision, they help to accelerate the growth of the FAST model across the continent.
OKAST, partnered with SECOM and Kinostar to launch the FAST4EUConsortium, co-funded by the EU. Their goal is to spearhead the expansion of the FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) model throughout Europe, cultivating a platform that is carefully suited to the continent’s unique and rich cultural backdrop.
About 3Vision
3Vision is a global content and TV consultancy specialising in content acquisition, strategy, research and business development in the TV industry. With decades of hands-on experience in the entertainment sector, 3Vision helps businesses across the TV industry to position themselves for success.
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