6.9.2024

The Rings of Power: SVOD goes FAST

The Rings of Power: SVOD goes FAST

Author

Jed Ayloff

role

Senior Analyst

Ahead of the recent release of the new season of The Rings of Power, Amazon Prime made a strategic move by placing the first season of its flagship series on FAST and AVOD platforms.

Available on Samsung TV Plus in the US, Canada, UK, Brazil, and Germany, the entire first season could be watched on-demand or via linear FAST streams using Samsung or Galaxy devices. In the US and Canada, Samsung launched a dedicated FAST channel for the series, while in the UK and Germany, all episodes were accessible on Samsung’s O&O “Entertainment Hub” channel.

Interestingly, the series is not available on Amazon’s own Freevee platform. This suggests a deliberate strategy to balance revenue generation through a second-window exploitation with Samsung while also using FAST as a promotional tool for the new season premiering on SVOD.

This move marks a significant milestone in the evolution of FAST, as Amazon’s support for it as a viable destination for one of its flagship titles demonstrates its growing importance in the streaming landscape.

Source: Samsung Newsroom U.K. (15th August 2024)

As FAST continues to gain traction and audience numbers grow rapidly, it presents a compelling alternative for premium TV promotional campaigns, providing easy to access and free catch-up on a wide range of devices. Additionally, the inherent success and abundance of single IP channels in FAST make it an ideal platform for promoting new seasons of popular shows and SVOD originals in a targeted manner.

Single IP channels, which account for over 30% of all channels globally, have become a cornerstone of the FAST landscape. These channels, featuring popular franchises like Baywatch, CSI, Top Gear, Midsomer Murders, and Hell’s Kitchen, are easier to set up and promote due to their strong brand association.

Amazon have been particularly active in putting newer and more premium IP on FAST, engaging in multiple strategies. Their original series, Bosch: Legacy, premieres directly on Freevee, while The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has its own dedicated channel on the platform. Additionally, Amazon has revived the popular Australian drama, Neighbours, exclusively for Freevee, suggesting their continued commitment and investment into FAST and AVOD.

Pluto TV also employs a strategic approach by showcasing a limited selection of Paramount+ content, including originals and popular series, on its “Paramount+ Picks” channel. This tactic effectively promotes its sister SVOD platform and encourages viewers to explore premium content.

Source: 3Vision FAST Tracker (August 2024; Single IP Channels)

However, this cannot be treated as an isolated case as there has also been a history of SVOD originals airing on Free TV. For example, Show Tracker data shows that Amazon’s first season of “The Boys” aired on SBT in Brazil back in September of 2020, while “Absentia” made it’s way onto Rai4 in Italy and Seven Network in Australia. Additionally, “The Collection”, a BBC and Amazon Studios co-production, aired on PBS in the US during its second window. Other examples include Netflix’s “Four Seasons in Havana” airing its first season second window on RTVE’s La 2 in Spain, while Disney recently cross-promoted “Ms. Marvel”, releasing the second season on ABC in the US last August.

Free TV has offered second windows after SVOD for some years now, however, when they offer the previous season simultaneously with the second season receiving its SVOD premiere there have been issues. Viewers have been known to migrate away from the Free TV channels to binge ahead through the current season on SVOD.

With windowing paradigms changing in the market it will be interesting to see what synergies there may be here. While it is currently relatively limited (especially on such an immediate basis), this may spell the early stages of a trend where premium TV and SVOD originals spend subsequent windows on Free TV and ad-supported platforms as a means to promote new seasons and monetise older ones.

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