On this episode of Inside Content, I am joined by two guests from Pluto TV, Olivier Jollet - Executive Vice President and International GeneralManager and Katrina Kowalski - Senior Vice President of International ContentProgramming and Acquisitions.
Pluto TV, a pioneer in the free and ad-supported streaming space, has celebrated its 10th anniversary this year and continues to push boundariesglobally. Having launched 10 years ago when the shift from TV to the internet was in its infancy, Pluto TV is now a leading player in FAST, having expandedto four continents, reaching viewers in more than 35 countries and regions.
Diving into the changing market dynamics of FAST and AVOD, we discuss how Pluto TV is defining itself as a key player in the rapidly growing space, including what factors have contributed to their success, how they are developing their content strategy and expansion, how they collaborate with the wider Paramount business and thoughts on future innovation with Ai.
Over his 9-year tenure with Pluto TV, Olivier has played a pivotal role ingrowing Pluto TV internationally, with his innovative leadership positioning PlutoTV as the top Free Ad-supported Streaming Television (FAST) platform worldwide.In his former role as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Pluto TV, Jollet worked to define and develop Pluto TV’s expansion and business development strategies, and secured strategic partnerships to drive growth and revenue. One of the most exciting insights came from Olivier’s view of FAST evolving into a broader "free streaming" market, a shift that indicates a future where platforms like Pluto TV move beyond just live linear streaming to also deliver significant on-demand content.
"The boundaries between FAST, AVODs, and others are disappearing...it's probably time to talk about free streaming in general." - Olivier Jollet
Canada has stood out as one of the biggest success stories for Pluto TV.Katrina, who has been instrumental to the strategic expansion of both Pluto TV and Paramount+ in this market, is responsible for all platform content decisions in the region, including original programming and acquisitions. For over two decades, Katrina has broadened the television landscape in Canada, tapping in to her expertise as a chief programming authority and digital strategist, to lead high-performing teams through comprehensive, multi-million dollar content launches across linear and digital platforms. In the episode, Katrina highlighted their 2022launch with over 100 channels, explaining how a mix of local partnerships, premium IP, and marketing created rapid adoption. The Canadian market shows how well-curated, free content can resonate with audiences, especially in challenging economic times.
"We were pacing to a billion total viewing minutes a month within a year, and we’re still pacing even higher now." - Katrina Kowalski
Topics discussed:
- An overview of Pluto TV and the guests' roles
- Key FAST and AVOD markets for growth and success
- What is important for FAST and AVOD viewer engagement
- An in-depth look at Pluto TV's content strategy and future content expansion
- Windowing trends for new content
- Channel 'culling' in order to curate better service
- How Pluto TV maintains a balance between promoting its own channels
For TV executives looking at the future of FAST, there are some key takeaways from my conversation with Katrina and Olivier. First, localisation is vital—understanding and catering to regional tastes is as important as scaling globally. Second, quality over quantity is increasingly the focus, as curation of channels and content becomes critical for engaging audiences long-term.Finally, its interesting to note the trend of platforms such as Pluto TV embracing live sports and event-based programming, bringing back appointment viewing as away to tap into both fandoms and new user segments.
At 3Vision, we continue to track and lead conversations around the growth of FAST and the broader streaming landscape. As Pluto TV's growth shows, the potential for free streaming is immense, and we expect to see even more innovation as platforms adapt and expand.
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