TV's most interesting battleground is FAST
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Today is a significant one for ad-supported TV streaming in Australia, with the BBC and Nine kicking off a new venture, and Samsung TV unveiling a new sponsorship package with top tier brands. Plus, the Unmade Index flashes red again, even as the wider ASX climbs.
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FAST tracked
Four years ago, a new media acronym escaped into the wild.
The first time I heard the phrase FAST - free ad-supported television - was in an interview on the Recode podcast with then ViacomCBS CEO Bob Bakish in November 2020.
A lot has changed since then. ViacomCBS is now Paramount. Recode is now Channels. And Bakish is now unemployed.
At the time of the interview, it was just a few months after Bakish had overseen the acquisition of FAST platform Pluto TV for what now looks like a bargain US$340m. In Australia, Pluto TV now powers Paramount’s local 10 Play FAST offering.
Some early Remade coverage of the potential of FAST TV:
The television will be revolutionised
Today: What Ten’s plans for Pluto TV say about the state of the television market; Buzzfeed’s float flop; SCA’s Kinderling purchase; and harassment in adland.
Today is one of the most significant days the development of FAST TV in Australia has so far seen.