NEW YORK–A new report from Amagi indicates that the FAST channel business continues to grow and play an increasingly important role in the streaming sector, particularly among broadcasters who now account for 30% of the top 100 channels.
The 12th Amagi Global FAST Report found that TV networks now account for 30% of the top 100 FAST channels, driving a 40% share in total hours of viewing (HOV) across these channels.
The research also indicated that among Amagi-delivered FAST channels, global HOV was up 31% and ad impressions jumped by 26% during Q2 2024 compared to Q2 2023.
These findings underscore the significant role that FAST channels play in the rapidly evolving streaming landscape, demonstrating FAST's ability to adapt and thrive in the face of new technologies and viewing habits, Amagi said.
Those findings come at a time when some researchers are reporting data that the FAST business continues to grow but has become more challenging with a larger number of channels chasing advertising dollars.
"The latest edition of our report highlights the substantial role FAST plays in the streaming ecosystem," said Srinivasan KA, co-founder and chief revenue officer of Amagi. "With TV Networks accounting for a substantial portion of the top channels and viewing hours, it's clear that FAST provides a great avenue for traditional media companies to draw additional revenues in the digital age. This report also underscores the ongoing double-digit growth in global HOV and ad impressions, demonstrating the robust health of the FAST market."
The newly released Amagi Global FAST Report offers critical data and insights derived from over 50 FAST services and 5,000-plus channels using Amagi Thunderstorm, the company's Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) platform. Additionally, the report incorporates findings from the 2024 Amagi Consumer Survey (April-June), which reflects the preferences and viewing habits of nearly 500 U.S. households across various income brackets.
Key takeaways from the 12th Amagi Global FAST Report (Data based on Amagi ANALYTICS and FAST channels that run on Amagi's platform) include:
- Consumers Increasingly Comfortable With Exploring FAST Offerings: 75% of Amagi's Consumer Survey respondents indicated they would create a free profile on a streaming service to sample FAST channels, and more than half would enter their credit card information.
- Growth of Broadcaster-Owned Channels: The total number of broadcaster-owned channels within FAST increased by approximately 2.5 times.
- Increase of FAST Channels Within O&O Apps: The total number of FAST channels within O&O apps increased by almost 50%.
- Significance of Single IP Channels in FAST: More than 25% of entertainment channels are Single IP channels, driving more than 33% of HOV within the genre.
Amagi will host the webinar "How FAST enhances streaming's many business models" on July 31 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss opportunities associated with the new report. Attendees can register here.
Amagi provides a complete suite of channel creation, distribution, and monetization solutions. The company's clients include ABS-CBN, AccuWeather, A+E Networks UK, beIN Sports, Cox Media Group, Fremantle, Gannett, Gusto TV, NBCUniversal, Tastemade, The Roku Channel, Lionsgate, VIZIO, MAVTV, DAZN, Astro among others.
The latest edition of the Amagi Global FAST Report is available here. More information about Amagi and its streaming TV solutions is available at www.amagi.com.
