In this episode of Inside Content, I sat down with Kasia Jablonska, Director of Digital and On Demand for BBC Studios’ Global Channels and Streaming business in EMEA, to discuss how its FAST business has evolved from an experimental new revenue stream into a much broader digital strategy.
BBC Studios now operates seven FAST brands and around 170 channel feeds across Europe, working with major CTV and streaming platforms as well as a growing number of telco partners. What began as a way to create incremental revenue from its library has developed into a more sophisticated approach combining distribution, advertising, data and editorial strategy.
One of the biggest shifts has been a move away from simply maximising reach. Kasia explained that the business is now much more focused on engagement, looking closely at viewing hours, monthly active users, sessions and user behaviour. BBC Studios is also taking greater control over advertising inventory and data, giving it more influence over monetisation, the viewer experience and the value its brands generate.
Telcos are becoming an especially important part of that strategy. With established customer relationships, strong first-party data and experience aggregating multiple content services, Kasia sees them as well placed to bridge traditional pay TV and streaming.
Looking ahead, Kasia highlighted monetisation, fragmentation, content discovery and measurement as some of the key challenges still facing FAST. But rather than disappearing, she expects FAST to evolve into a more sophisticated advertising and distribution ecosystem within a broader free and hybrid streaming proposition.
Key Topics Covered:
- How BBC Studios’ FAST strategy has evolved
- Moving from reach towards engagement and ROI
- Taking greater control of advertising inventory and data
- The growing role of telcos in FAST distribution
- FAST as a discovery tool for BBC brands and content
- Fragmentation across European markets
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