Broadcast to FAST (Part V)
No Subscriptions, No Problem—The FAST Revolution Explained
Previously on…
In our previous articles, we’ve explored the evolution of television viewing habits…
Today, we’ll be focusing on a new hybrid option… FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television).
Early Efforts and Origins of FAST
Before the acronym FAST was coined in 2018 there were early experiments in free, ad-supported streaming. In the mid-2000s, services like Joost (launched 2007) tried to deliver TV shows and films online with traditional TV-style ads. Sony’s Crackle (launched 2004 as “Grouper”) offered free on-demand movies and shows with commercials; this was an early ad-supported VOD model. These predecessors proved the appetite for free streaming content but largely provided on-demand catalogs rather than the live, linear channel experience of television.
The FAST model truly began taking shape in the early-to-mid 2010s. Pioneering platforms set out to recreate linear TV in a streaming environment, using scheduled, curated channels of content. Pluto TV (founded 2013) was one of the first to offer round-the-clock streaming channels with curated programming of reruns and web videos, giving viewers the comforting feel of a live TV feed online. Around the same time, Tubi (launched 2014) and Xumo (launched 2011) also debuted with the same free, ad-supported approach. These early FAST services mostly relied on library content such as older TV series, classic movies, news clips, and web videos and were packaged into niche channels (for example, a channel for vintage cartoons or one streaming crime dramas 24/7).
Several factors in this era primed FAST for growth: the spread of high-speed internet and smart TVs, the surge in cord-cutting due to rising cable costs, and viewers’ desire for a lean-back experience without paywalls. By the late 2010s, FAST platforms had found product-market fit as a free alternative to cable; they catered to budget-conscious consumers who still enjoyed channel-surfing but didn’t want hefty cable bills. Notably, 2018 was a breakout year. That year, subscription streaming giants spent billions on originals, FAST services gained traction by serving familiar old favorites. Services like Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, and Tubi experienced unprecedented user growth by streaming popular movies and TV shows from past decades. This success drew major media companies’ attention. By early 2019, Viacom (now Paramount) acquired Pluto TV for $340 million; at the time Pluto had about 12 million monthly active users. In 2020, Fox Corporation followed suit by purchasing Tubi, bolstering Tubi’s library with a vast back-catalog of Fox content. The late 2010s thus marked FAST’s transition from niche experiment to a mainstream streaming segment backed by big-media owners.
FAST Business Model: How the Money Works
FAST platforms generate revenue exclusively through advertising, much like traditional broadcast TV. There are no subscription fees; content is free to the viewer, so the entire model hinges on selling ad slots during programs. This advertising-supported model creates a revenue stream that is typically shared between the platform (the distributor/host) and the content providers (channel programmers).
Content programmers (the studios or networks supplying channels and shows) make money by offering FAST in a few ways:
Revenue-Sharing: In the most common arrangement, the FAST platform sells ads against a channel’s content and then shares a portion of that ad revenue with the content provider. For example, if a classic TV series is streamed on Pluto TV, Pluto’s sales team inserts ads, and the show’s owner receives an agreed share of the ad earnings.
Inventory Splits: In some cases, the content partner and platform split the advertising “inventory.” This means each party controls a certain number of ad slots per hour to sell on their own. For instance, on Samsung TV Plus, a channel might give Samsung half of the ad slots to monetize, while the content owner can sell the rest directly to advertisers, letting both retain their respective ad revenues.
Platform Licensing Fees: Less commonly, a platform might pay an up-front license fee for certain high-value content or channels. However, the prevalent trend is the ad-revenue share model, which aligns incentives to grow viewership.
Hosting services and device manufacturers (the FAST platforms themselves, like The Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus, Vizio WatchFree+, etc.) profit by taking their cut of this ad revenue. Device manufacturers have increasingly utilized FAST as a value addition. This approach transforms smart TVs and streaming devices into long-term revenue sources beyond the initial hardware sale. For instance, Roku reported that its platform business, which includes The Roku Channel's ad-supported content, generated over $1 billion in revenue in 2019 partly due to offering numerous free channels and movie libraries. Similarly, Samsung and Vizio have developed FAST portals integrated into their smart TVs. These applications deliver free channels and generate advertising income for the manufacturer.
Meanwhile, the evolution of broadcast ATSC 3.0 is currently a topic of significant debate and discussion. As of May 2025, broadcasters are urging the FCC to implement mandates requiring specific hardware and buttons for accessing broadcast/antenna channels. This requirement would increase the cost of hardware and create competition with the FAST services that generate ad revenue for manufacturers already integrated into televisions.
The extent of FAST's advertising business is noteworthy. In 2022, the global FAST ad market was valued at approximately $6 billion and is anticipated to grow to $18 billion by 2028. In the United States, various FAST platforms collectively reach audiences comparable to, or even larger than, the entire cable TV subscriber base. This indicates that advertisers can achieve cable-sized audience reach through FAST. This mutually beneficial model (providing free content for viewers, extensive reach for advertisers, and revenue generation for both platforms and programmers) has driven the substantial growth of FAST services.
Pluto TV: From Startup to Industry Leader
One cannot chart FAST’s rise without examining Pluto TV, often seen as the archetype of the FAST platform. Below is a timeline and overview of Pluto TV’s evolution, divided into its independent startup era and its transformation after being acquired by ViacomCBS (Paramount):
Founding and Early Growth (2013–2019)
2013 – Founding: Pluto Inc. is founded in Los Angeles by Tom Ryan, Ilya Pozin, and Nick Grouf to aggregate online video content into a TV-like experience.
March 2014 – Beta Launch: Pluto TV launches its beta website with nearly 100 free channels, curating content from YouTube, Vimeo, and other free sources.
2015 – Content Partnerships: Pluto secures more content deals, including a noteworthy deal with Hulu to stream Hulu’s free ad-supported TV episodes on Pluto’s channels.
2016–2017 – User Growth and VOD: Pluto’s audience climbs as it lands on more devices. By May 2017, Pluto averages about 6 million monthly users, and by October 2017, it tops 15 million. Samsung’s venture arm invests $5 million in Pluto.
2018 – Expansion: Pluto TV goes international, launching in Europe and partnering with Vizio to power the TV maker’s new WatchFree service.
January 2019 – Viacom Acquisition Announced: Viacom Inc. announces it will acquire Pluto TV for $340 million in cash, seeing Pluto to gain a foothold in streaming without launching a paid service.
March 2019 – Sale Completed: Viacom closes the Pluto TV deal, with Pluto continuing to operate as an independent subsidiary led by CEO Tom Ryan.
After ViacomCBS Acquisition (2019–Present)
Mid–Late 2019 – Integration of Viacom Content: Viacom integrates its networks (for example, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, MTV) into Pluto TV, using the platform to give new life to older content.
Late 2019 – ViacomCBS Merger: Viacom and CBS Corporation re-merge into ViacomCBS. Pluto TV gains CBS assets such as CBS News 24/7 and CBS Sports HQ.
2020 – Rapid Expansion and Pandemic Boost: Pluto TV launches in 17 Latin American countries and Brazil, growing its international footprint. COVID-19 pandemic drives high usage.
2020–2021 – Corporate Reorganization: ViacomCBS creates ViacomCBS Streaming (later Paramount Streaming), housing Pluto TV and CBS All Access (which becomes Paramount+). Tom Ryan oversees this group.
2022–2023 – Growth and Milestones: Pluto TV grows to 68 million monthly active users in the U.S. and 80 million globally by Q1 2023, with 425 channels and 100,000+ hours of programming. Expands to Canada and plans further international entries.
Impact of the Acquisition
The acquisition by ViacomCBS transformed Pluto TV from a modest startup into an international platform rich in content. With access to Viacom's extensive library, Pluto expanded its offerings beyond quirky YouTube clips to include mainstream television hits, such as entire channels dedicated to CSI, Survivor, and Star Trek. This growth enabled Pluto to negotiate deals with other media companies, leveraging Paramount's capability for cross-promotion or bundled advertising sales. The strategy of monetizing older content on Pluto proved to be successful; for instance, Paramount’s CEO highlighted that shows with less prominence on Paramount+ could perform well on Pluto’s free channels, thereby generating advertising revenue and maintaining audience engagement with those intellectual properties. In summary, Pluto TV post-2019 has become a model that many other studios have emulated: acquiring or launching a FAST outlet to complement their subscription-based streaming services. Pluto's trajectory is notable. The platform grew from 12 million users and $70 million in revenue before the acquisition to an estimated 80 million users and over $1 billion in ad revenue a few years later. This growth exemplifies the significant rise of FAST within the streaming industry.
Content Offerings on FAST Platforms
FAST services today provide a wide spectrum of content, often mirroring the range of traditional TV. Many platforms offer hundreds of channels categorized by genre. Key content types include:
Local News and Weather
FAST has become a popular way to stream local news broadcasts for free. Services such as Local Now, NewsOn, Tubi, and Pluto TV offer feeds from local TV stations in major cities. For instance, Tubi features over 100 local station feeds (from Fox, Scripps, Cox, NBC, etc.), covering nearly 60 U.S. markets. Viewers can watch their local Fox news through Tubi’s “News on Tubi” section. Many FAST platforms partner with station groups to provide 24/7 news channels that cycle through top local stories. Additionally, dedicated weather channels are available, from localized weather radar loops to national services. Fox Weather, a 24/7 streaming weather network launched in 2021, is distributed on several FAST services. Other examples include WeatherNation and AccuWeather streams, which are provided free on these platforms. This emphasis on news and weather mirrors the role these genres played on cable, ensuring cord-cutters still have easy access to community news and forecasts.
Classic TV Series and Films
A cornerstone of FAST programming is its classic and library content. These shows and movies, often from the '60s through the '90s, along with some 2000s favorites, create a rich rerun culture on FAST. Nearly every FAST platform features channels dedicated to TV classics, including old Westerns, black-and-white sitcoms, and retro game shows.
For example, Pluto TV offers channels for classic sitcoms like Happy Days and The Love Boat, game show channel Buzzr (which airs vintage Family Feud and Match Game episodes), and movie channels focusing on specific genres like Westerns or horror.
Film offerings on FAST platforms are similarly centered around titles that are about 10 years old or older. For example, Pluto sometimes shows the J.J. Abrams-era Star Trek movies, as Paramount maintains the rights to these films. While you won’t find the latest blockbusters available for free, there is an extensive selection of movies ranging from Oscar-winning classics to B-movie marathons. Some channels cater to specific genres, such as a Kung Fu Classics movie channel or a Holiday Movies channel during winter.
The sheer volume of content is impressive, with Tubi boasting a library of over 200,000 film and TV titles on demand, plus nearly 250 live channels, heavily focused on older and licensed content. These classic reruns cater to nostalgic viewers and also fill airtime at a low cost, making them essential to FAST schedules.
Sports and Niche Sports
Live sports rights for major leagues like the NFL and NBA generally remain with pay-TV or major streaming networks. However, FAST platforms have found their niche in sports news, analysis, and less mainstream competitions. Many FAST services offer 24/7 sports news and highlights channels. For instance, Pluto TV carries CBS Sports HQ and Stadium, which cover college and minor league sports. For sports bettors, you can track down SportsGrid or DraftKings Network on various services.
There are also channels dedicated to specific sports leagues’ archival content. The NFL Channel on Pluto or Tubi, for example, airs classic football games and NFL Films programming. Similarly, the MLB Channel provides content for baseball fans.
Niche sports that don’t get constant airtime on cable have found a home on FAST platforms as well. Channels for MMA, boxing, winter sports, poker, e-sports, motorsports, fishing, and outdoor activities are available. For instance, Pac-12 Insider is a FAST channel featuring West Coast college sports that streams for free.
While FAST services can't quite yet afford to pay for rights to stream live games for free, they keep sports fans engaged with highlights, replays, documentaries, and analysis shows. This content helps satisfy sports enthusiasts and complements major live-event broadcasters.
Marathon and Single-Series Channels
A defining feature of FAST programming is the single-show channel, which offers a 24/7 stream devoted to a popular TV series or franchise. If you love a specific show, FAST likely has a channel that continuously plays its episodes. For instance, you can find channels dedicated to Baywatch, CSI, and Unsolved Mysteries on various FAST services, running episodes around the clock. These marathon channels are ideal for series with extensive episode libraries, ensuring that content doesn’t repeat too frequently.
Classic procedurals and sitcoms are well-suited to this format. Pluto TV, for example, features channels for Three’s Company, Doctor Who (Classic), Degrassi, Cops, and more. Tubi offers dedicated channels for The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Carol Burnett Show, 21 Jump Street, and others. These binge channels effectively turn a beloved show into its own network, providing fans with a constant go-to spot for episodes while allowing content owners to generate continuous ad revenue from a single property.
This trend also extends to franchises, where a Star Trek channel might mix episodes from various Star Trek series and movies into a continuous stream. The marathon format capitalizes on viewer nostalgia and comfort watching, reminiscent of cable's all-day marathons on holidays, but now available every day.
Live National News, Reality and Lifestyle, Music, and More
Beyond the categories mentioned above, FAST channels encompass nearly every genre found on cable. National and world news channels are available, including both streaming-only news outlets and simulcasts like CBS News, NBC News Now, Bloomberg, Reuters TV, and Cheddar. Reality TV enthusiasts can enjoy compilation channels featuring series from A&E, Discovery, or WE tv’s vault, and shows such as Kitchen Nightmares and Bridezillas.
Lifestyle and travel programming is also prevalent, with cooking shows, home improvement series, and nature documentaries often repurposed from channels like HGTV and Travel Channel. Music video channels, which have vanished from cable, have found a new home on FAST platforms, streaming genre-based music video channels, karaoke channels, and live concert footage.
Additionally, there are kids' cartoon channels, anime channels, faith-based channels, and multicultural or foreign language offerings. In essence, FAST has evolved to cover the diverse range of programming that viewers expect, from serious to light-hearted content, often by partnering with traditional media brands or utilizing rich archives that were previously underutilized
Legacy Cable Channels Move to FAST Blurring the Lines
One striking development in recent years is how legacy cable TV brands and content are migrating into FAST. The once-sharp line between paid cable or satellite TV and free streaming TV is blurring as well-known channels and shows from the cable era find new life on FAST services.
Several high-profile examples illustrate this trend:
Paramount or Viacom Brands on Pluto
After Viacom acquired Pluto TV, it introduced free Pluto channels featuring content from MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, VH1, BET, CMT, and more. While these channels are not identical to the live cable feeds, they offer a substantial portion of the same library content, such as classic MTV reality shows or Nickelodeon cartoons. This change allows viewers to enjoy programming from these major cable channels without needing a subscription. Essentially, it repackages a slice of cable for free streaming.
In some instances, the content offered on FAST channels may be more appealing than what is available on their paid counterparts. For example, I personally enjoy watching a South Park marathon on Pluto TV's version of Comedy Central more than a The Office marathon on the paid version, which has been replayed countless times since Comedy Central acquired the rights.
Fox and NBC Content on Tubi or Roku
Likewise, Fox has utilized Tubi to offer channels featuring some of its content library, including older Fox network shows and Fox Sports content. NBCUniversal has also arranged for NBC News and NBC-owned shows to appear on FAST platforms. The availability of channels like NBC News NOW (an NBCUniversal streaming news channel) on FAST, along with local NBC and ABC stations streaming for free, ensures that content once restricted to the cable news tier is now accessible with ads.
AMC Networks on FAST
In 2023, AMC Networks, known for cable channels such as AMC, IFC, and WE tv, launched a suite of FAST channels featuring its popular programming. For instance, an all-Walking Dead channel streams episodes of AMC’s hit zombie franchise 24/7. Additionally, AMC introduced Stories by AMC a channel showcasing various AMC dramas like Killing Eve and Portlandia, as well as dedicated channels for Portlandia, IFC Films (indie movies), and WE tv reality shows. These moves allow AMC’s cable content to reach cord-cutters through free platforms like Philo and Pluto TV, while maintaining the AMC brand presence.
Warner Bros. Discovery Content Deals
In a notable shift, Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns HBO, CNN, TNT, and others, decided in 2023 to license some of its premium content to FAST services. As part of this strategy, WBD partnered with Tubi and The Roku Channel to create Warner Bros.–branded FAST channels, featuring popular titles that had recently been available on HBO Max. This includes series like the HBO original Westworld and reality series from Discovery’s cable networks like Cake Boss from TLC, and content from the CNN and HGTV libraries.
The fact that a once high-end show like Westworld which once required an HBO subscription, is now accessible for free with ads on Roku and Tubi highlights the significant changes in the distribution landscape. Since this show declined in popularity as it ran, it would likely sit on the paid Max service not getting much attention nor gaining much revenue. Instead, after a few years of maximizing revenue on the paid platform, it’s now available for free via FAST. This is very similar to how prime-time television series were often sold in syndication in the Broadcasting era. As a Roku executive noted, media companies are bringing some of their best content to FAST, viewing it as a new avenue to capture audiences and generate ad revenue.
Other Cable-to-FAST Transitions
Numerous other cable-originated channels and franchises have made similar transitions. Ion Television, known for syndicated reruns, now has a 24/7 channel on Tubi’s FAST lineup. The Hallmark Channel, a cable staple for romantic movies, offers select content on a FAST channel called Hallmark Movies and More available on Pluto and Xumo. Court TV, which was a popular cable channel in the 90s, has been resurrected as a digital subchannel and is also available as a streaming channel on FAST services. Smaller cable brands that viewers may have flipped over in 200+ channel bundles on their subscriptions, such as Bloomberg TV (financial news), Cheddar (business news), and Vevo (music videos) have also broadened their reach through FAST distribution.
This transition is reshaping the television industry. Where viewers once had to pay for a cable package to access certain channels, they can now find many of those channels’ shows for free. Many networks use FAST to provide free access to older content while reserving new content for pay TV or subscriptions, employing a freemium model.
For example, the conservative news network Newsmax initially offered its primary feed for free on FAST, which complicated its cable carriage agreements. In 2023, the network adjusted its strategy by putting a secondary Newsmax2 feed on FAST and keeping its main feed for pay TV. This illustrates how content providers are experimenting with balancing reach through free streaming and revenue from cable fees.
Ultimately, the line between cable and FAST is becoming increasingly blurred. A viewer with a smart TV and an antenna can now combine free over-the-air channels with FAST streaming channels, recreating the old cable experience without the monthly bill. Legacy media firms are embracing FAST as a way to extend the life of their brands and libraries. Industry observers note that moving well-known cable brands to FAST can rejuvenate legacy channels by reaching cord-cutters while maintaining brand recognition.
For example, the idea of an MTV music video channel streaming for free on FAST is appealing to nostalgia seekers and does not require MTV to occupy a paid cable slot. This concept is already in practice: MTV genre channels on PlutoTV play classic music videos, and Vevo’s POP channel streams modern hits, effectively fulfilling the role MTV once had, but on FAST.
In summary, as cable TV’s influence wanes, its content and even channel identities are finding a second life on FAST platforms. This trend is creating a hybrid media ecosystem where viewers toggle between paid and free services for different content, and media companies maximize value by distributing programs across both. FAST is no longer a curiosity on the fringes; it is becoming a central pillar of the TV industry, with the gap between "free with ads" and "paid subscription" content narrowing by the day.
Conclusion
The growth of FAST in the U.S. shows a complete transformation in television: reverting to free, advertiser-supported programming, now accessible via the internet. Starting with the initial efforts of Pluto TV and similar platforms in the mid-2010s, FAST has developed into a significant force that is changing the way Americans watch TV. Its business model, based on sharing ad revenue, has proven to be both viable and profitable on a large scale. This success has drawn major media companies to launch or acquire FAST services. Platforms like Pluto TV, Tubi, The Roku Channel, and Samsung TV Plus have attracted tens of millions of users by offering a constantly expanding range of content. This includes local news, weather updates, timeless classics, sports highlights, and numerous niche channels that cater to every interest and nostalgic memory.
The journey of Pluto TV, from a small startup to a platform with 80 million users, illustrates the FAST model's swift growth and acceptance. Content that was once locked behind cable paywalls is now accessible for free to anyone with an internet connection, as traditional channels embrace the FAST transition. This phenomenon is also expanding globally, with international versions of FAST (like Rakuten TV in Europe and various regional Pluto TV launches) introducing free streaming channels to audiences worldwide.
As FAST continues to evolve, we can anticipate even greater integration with traditional TV. The journey so far, from Pluto TV's launch in 2014, its acquisition in 2019, to the explosion of roughly 2000 channels nationwide in the 2020s, is just the beginning. Industry forecasts indicate that FAST viewership and advertising revenue will keep rising rapidly, potentially surpassing some subscription services. For consumers, FAST has revived the simple pleasure of channel-surfing, offering a curated and comforting experience without the financial barrier. For media companies, FAST has not only created a new revenue stream from existing content but also opened a new competitive front.
In a way, FAST represents the fusion of old and new TV: the classic ad-supported model delivered with the convenience and personalization of streaming. The evolution is ongoing, but one thing is clear: FAST has firmly established itself as a permanent fixture in the television ecosystem, heralding a future where free streaming television sits side by side with paid options as a dominant form of media consumption.
Epilogue: What's Left to Watch
Looking back at everything I've written in this series (about the rise of broadcast, the cable boom, the binge era, and now the FAST revolution), there's a creeping truth I can’t ignore: we’ve lost something. The networks, once titans of prestige and national conversation, now feel more like hollow vessels chasing quarterly profits.
I miss when shows had theme songs. I miss seeing a few handpicked stills from the episode play under the closing credits (small reminders of the episode you had just enjoyed). Now you’re lucky if the show gets a title card and a few notes of music, before the show’s content itself gets stamped with an ad for some dating series or cooking reality show; you can practically feel the algorithm chewing up screen time, looking for ways to keep viewers "engaged," even if it means cannibalizing “the now”.
The focus is no longer on building a viewing experience; it's on volume and profitability. Cheap, low-risk content like game shows, reality competitions, and filler are now prioritized. This content is cheap to produce, forgettable, and hard to syndicate. Studios may own the big four broadcast networks, but they no longer seem interested in cultivating signature series. Reality and game show formats rarely generate long-term prestige or profitable reruns, and they don’t exactly light up social media with iconic moments worth rewatching. Even local affiliates have started phoning it in or giving up altogether; for example in some West Coast markets, when the national network airs a live sports event best timed for the East Coast, these West Coast stations don’t bother trying to fill their own prime time. Instead, they run paid programming, which is easier and cheaper than trying to compete.
There are still "event" series out there, but you’ll find them behind a paywall. Prestige lives on; however, it’s now the domain of the streaming giants. The shared experience is gone, as we don't all watch at the same time anymore. There's no water cooler talk, since there’s no consensus on what night anything is watched. Nevertheless, people still want good storytelling, including arcs, characters, tension, and resolution. It's just getting harder to serve that up in a world where attention spans are shrinking, and platforms are multiplying.
People used to be mad at cable fees. Now they’re mad at streaming fees. Habits change, but the frustration remains.
What’s next? I honestly don’t know if local broadcast or cable networks can claw their way back. They’ve already given up on competing where it counts. The legacy of television as a shared national ritual is dimming fast, replaced by fragmented feeds and algorithmic nudges. The "networks" of the future may not be networks at all, but rather aggregators, playlists, and brands with no fixed schedule. FAST channels might feel like a throwback today; however, give it time, and they might become the last place to catch a show that reminds you what TV used to feel like.