The Evolution of FAST Into Mainstream TV

By Brian Laverty, Director of Ad Insights and Audience Strategy

The FAST category looks fundamentally different today than it did even two or three years ago. What started as a landing spot for older, beloved reruns and movie titles, FAST platforms have significantly evolved by offering original programming, exclusive premieres, live sports, and recognizable entertainment brands that audiences actively seek out.

FAST is now drawing in viewers with the same principles that have always defined premium television: production value, exclusivity, and timeliness. In fact, according to ComScore, FAST viewing hours grew 38% year over year, compared with 6% growth for streaming overall.ⁱ If FAST were its own category in Nielsen's The Gauge, it would account for 6.8% of all U.S. TV usage, bigger than most SVODs.ⁱⁱ

Those numbers point to a larger reality: FAST is no longer an emerging viewing option. It's increasingly becoming a mainstream part of how audiences watch TV.

And the evolution of FAST matters just as much to advertisers as it does to viewers. Platforms with compelling content, recognizable brands, and passionate fandoms attract audiences that are intentionally choosing to watch, creating an environment advertisers increasingly can't afford to overlook.

Reach3 Insights notes that among free-streaming viewers, 52% watch seven or more hours a week, and 34% spend more than half of their total TV time with free streaming.ⁱⁱⁱ Advertisers want engaged viewers at scale. That’s exactly what makes FAST worth investing in.

Why this matters beyond content

These shifts are arriving alongside a broader change in who’s watching FAST and how audiences engage with it. As more premium, timely content moves onto these platforms, the audiences are following. Today, 84% of FAST viewers say it's easy to find something good to watch on FAST platforms.^iv And affluent viewers are included: 64% of streaming households with annual income of $150K+ are watching FAST.^v

As audiences spend more time with FAST, platforms are increasingly competing not just on content volume, but on their ability to cultivate the fandoms and viewing habits that drive repeat engagement. That distinction is important for advertisers navigating an increasingly fragmented viewing landscape. As FAST scales, the industry's challenge is shifting from content availability to content discovery and curation. With platform guides now carrying 500+ channels, simply having content on the shelf is no longer enough. Discovery has become as important as the content itself, and platforms that offer unique and timely content, whether that’s a live sports calendar, an exclusive channel, or a show airing close to its network run, will build the kind of engaged, returning viewership that advertisers want to reach. A platform’s ability to attract premium content is, in many ways, a proxy for the strength and quality of the audience already watching it.

What this means for the industry

This evolution in the FAST industry points to something bigger than any single title or channel launch. FAST platforms are becoming more like mainstream TV publishers, programming around seasons, cultural moments, live sports, and audience fandoms with the same intentionality that has long defined traditional television. Studios are leaning in as well with studio channel share on FAST platforms growing from 44% to 64% in just two years.^vi 

For advertisers and content partners, this shift matters. Major studios are making FAST a more strategic part of their windowing strategy because they already see the value in these engaged audiences. As more next-gen publishers embrace this model, the distinction between free and premium TV is only going to keep narrowing.

What FAST’s evolution looks like in practice

One example of this shift can be seen in Xumo Play, which has focused on pairing premium content with the scale, accessibility, and audience engagement that increasingly define mainstream TV.

Over the past year, Xumo Play has expanded its lineup with exclusive channels, original programming, premium film partnerships, and a growing live sports calendar. Recent additions have included everything from exclusive rights to season two of NASCAR's Rising and coverage of World Cup matches from Telemundo to a multi-year content agreement with Lionsgate that brought nine pay-1 window films and added 50 premium FAST titles to the platform in addition to its 20 FAST channels already on Xumo Play.

The platform has also introduced new programming from recognizable entertainment brands including Sports Illustrated TV, The Monster Jam Channel, The Sesame Street Channel, the music-focused Driftwood channel with Mercury Studios, and the horror-focused CreatureVerse channel from ITN Studios. Together, these additions span sports, music, family, entertainment, and seasonal programming, reflecting the increasingly broad mix of content audiences now expect from FAST.

With premium curated channels and exclusive content planned for Q4, Xumo Play continues to invest in these types of viewing experiences, helping drive FAST further into the mainstream.

For advertisers, that shift represents a significant opportunity. Platforms that can attract engaged viewers, passionate fandoms, and trusted content partners will become an increasingly important part of the mainstream television ecosystem. Agencies should consider FAST earlier in planning and evaluate individual platforms on the same terms as other streaming and linear partners.

Explore Xumo Advertising’s audience and inventory opportunities for your next campaign at xumo.com/advertising.

1. Comscore CTV Intelligence 2024/2025.
2. Brian Fuhrer comments on Nielsen Gauge August 2025 report.
3. Reach3 Insights, FASTMaster Intelligence, Wave 3, Q1 2026 
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. Ibid.