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The Next Frontier for FAST
Free Ad-Supported Television( FAST) has rapidly emerged as one of the defining formats in the post-linear media landscape. It offers audiences a familiar, lean-back viewing experience, while giving content owners a path to monetisation without paywalls or platform gatekeeping. As subscription fatigue grows and advertisers look for brand-safe inventory at scale, the FAST model is delivering a compelling balance of reach, flexibility, and commercial return. In many ways, it’ s the return of TV, rebuilt with digital infrastructure, on-demand economics, and global ambition.
The FAST channel ecosystem today is growing fast, particularly in markets where broadband penetration, connected devices, and programmatic ad-tech are well established. Recently the number of FAST channels globally has surpassed 1,600 in key markets including the United States, UK, Germany and Canada. Industry forecasts now project the FAST market will exceed $ 20 billion in revenue by 2030, with North America continuing to lead, but with EMEA and APAC growing fastest.
The true potential of FAST lies in its ability to adapt. Its success won’ t be defined solely by performance in the most developed streaming markets, but by how well it reaches viewers in all markets and on all platforms. If FAST is to become a global standard, it must evolve beyond its OTT origins into a distribution model that is flexible, hybrid, and infrastructure-agnostic.
Expanding the Model Much of the early momentum behind FAST has been driven by platforms built for connected TVs and digital environments. Their success has demonstrated clear audience appetite for curated, scheduled, and adsupported content. But those environments are only one part of the global media landscape.
In mature broadband markets, such as the United States, over 85 % of households now have at least one CTV device. But elsewhere, the number of households that have consistent access to broadband speeds above 25 Mbps is much lower— just enough to support HD streaming on multiple devices. The gap is even wider in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and parts of Latin America.
Across these regions, television remains
Adir Hadad, VP of Cloud Services at iKO Media Group, reveals how the company is powering FAST without borders— redefining how free ad-supported TV evolves from stream to scale across satellite and OTT.
a dominant medium, though not necessarily in OTT form. In these areas, linear viewing habits persist, and devices such as satellite receivers and standard-definition TVs are still widely in use. Viewership remains strong, but the FAST format— despite being free and adfunded— has yet to reach them at scale.
Rather than viewing this as a limitation, broadcasters and content owners now have an opportunity to extend FAST into these contexts through hybrid delivery models. By decoupling FAST from a purely broadbanddependent architecture, it becomes possible to launch and monetise channels in markets where traditional OTT doesn’ t reach. This is not about compromising the FAST experience. It’ s about enhancing it by combining the strengths of satellite and IP-based workflows with the reliability and scale of established broadcast infrastructure.
Designing for Scale and Flexibility To take advantage of this opportunity, FAST channels need more than just content and a CDN. They need a framework that supports
multiple modes of delivery across OTT, satellite, and hybrid environments without fragmenting operations or workflows.
This means cloud-native playout that integrates with both app-based platforms and satellite transponders. It means metadata and scheduling systems that can update in real time, with full EPG support for digital and broadcast outputs. And it means ad insertion capabilities that work regardless of whether a viewer is streaming on a phone, watching on a smart TV, or tuning in via a set-top box.
Crucially, it also means building FAST services that are commercially viable in diverse environments. That includes serverside and client-side ad stitching, regional feed customisation, real-time monitoring, and integration with monetisation partners. The goal is not just to launch a channel but to sustain it, operationally and financially, wherever it’ s seen. These elements are already in use across an emerging generation of FAST deployments, including those enabled by iKO Media Group, that are proving how adaptable the format can be when designed from the ground up for global distribution.
FAST on SAT: A Broadcast-Grade Breakthrough One of the clearest examples of this evolution is the deployment of FAST channels via satellite in regions where IP networks cannot reliably support large-scale streaming.
In the Middle East and North Africa, a new hybrid model is taking shape: FAST on SAT. Using the high-power Eutelsat 7 / 8W orbital position, iKO Media Group is delivering free ad-supported TV channels over satellite to more than 66 million homes across the region. These are viewers who may not have access to OTT platforms but remain highly engaged with linear television.
This approach allows channels to preserve the FAST format while expanding into markets beyond broadband limitations. Ad insertion, graphics overlays, and programmatic targeting are all supported through a hybrid architecture. In many cases, broadcasters are reaching entirely new audiences through the use of cloud-native services without needing to invest in local connectivity or hardware upgrades.
The value proposition is clear. It brings access to scale, revenue potential through digital ad models, and a seamless viewer experience that aligns with regional consumption habits.
FAST on SAT is not a fallback. It is a forward-looking solution that expands what FAST can be.
The Monetisation Layer: From Broadcast to Business As FAST grows into new territories and delivery formats, the way revenue is generated must also evolve. Advertising remains central to the model, but how those ads are delivered, personalised, and measured is becoming increasingly important.
Dynamic overlays, region-specific ad breaks, and interactive elements are now integral to many FAST implementations. In some cases, viewers can interact with content directly through on-screen QR codes, enabling real-time donations, e-commerce integration, or programme-specific actions. This transforms what was once a passive medium into a responsive experience.
Artificial intelligence is now playing a growing role in expanding monetisation possibilities. AI-driven ad production tools can automatically generate diverse, contextaware creatives that are optimised for
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