FAST services were the major topic of conversation at the StreamTV Show in Denver this week. And it looks like FAST evolution will lead to more customized, discoverable, and available services.
Flexing a channel’s schedule across FAST platforms
In the broadcast world, a channel’s schedule is pretty much the same no matter which pay TV provider a viewer uses. For the most part, FAST channels are following the same approach. However, speaking on a panel at StreamTV, Amy Kuessner, EVP of Content Strategy & Global Partnerships, Paramount Streaming, wondered if that should be the case. She wondered why channel providers don’t program their channels differently based on their target FAST platform.
In a world where there are sharp differences between FAST platforms, using the same channel brand but a different schedule would make sense. For example, a brand like FilmRise Action Movies might program more Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan movies to a platform favored by Asian viewers. However, whether the top FAST services are distinctive enough to warrant the approach is unclear. All the top platforms seem to have the same general strategy: top entertainment brands for a general viewing audience.
The bigger question is why more FAST platforms aren’t seeking to appeal to specific groups of viewers. ViX from Univision is a FAST service targeting Spanish speakers in the US. But few others are aiming to super server more distinct groups of viewers. Were the FASTs more differentiated, programming a channel differently for each would make sense.
Jason Cohen, CEO of MyBundle TV, asked an even more basic question:
“Why aren’t the channel brands customized to the individual viewer?”
With AI aiding the personalization of media, perhaps it is becoming possible to think about doing it.
FAST channel discovery a challenge
All the top FAST channel services provide a grid guide allowing users to navigate the hundreds of channels available. Many of the discussions at the show recognized the inadequacy of the guide for the task. Some providers are beginning to make moves to improve channel discovery.
Shalini Govil-Pai, Vice President & General Manager of TV, Google TV, presented the revamped live tab just released for the platform. The live guide can integrate channels from popular streaming TV services like Pluto TV and YouTube TV with its own set of FAST channels. If Google TV is running on a TV set with an over-the-air tuner, the guide can integrate those channels too. In all, the guide can integrate 800 channels. To aid in navigating so many options, the company has organized them into groups based on topics and genres like news, popular movies, and crime. The user can quickly access the groups from the left-hand menu bar.
Paramount’s Amy Kuessner mentioned on her panel that a redesign of the Pluto TV interface is on the way. She said the new home screen would blend linear channels with on-demand titles and use algorithms to sort the content so a user can quickly get to the content of interest.
Expect FAST platform providers to continue innovating the user experience as the number of channels they provide grows.
Comcast cable to integrate Xumo Play channels
vMVPD providers like fuboTV and Philo have been adding FAST channels to their services for quite some time. And Sling TV has created a companion FAST service called FreeStream which is accessible through the Sling TV app without creating an account or signing up for the service. However, traditional pay TV providers haven’t taken advantage of the FAST opportunity. That will soon change, according to Colin Petrie-Norris, Xumo Play CEO.
Comcast purchased Xumo in 2020 and has done little with service since except lend its name and channels to the TV OS joint venture Comcast formed with Charter. At the StreamTV Show, Mr. Petrie-Norris said that Xumo Play channels would be integrated into the Xfinity TV guide alongside the current traditional broadcast and cable channels. Comcast is also integrating some Xumo Play channels into its recently announced $20-a-month Now TV US broadband TV companion service.
This announcement is more evidence that the boundaries between FAST channels and traditional TV are blurring. Last year, Scripps launched FAST channels based on their Diginet brands, Ion, Bounce, and Grit. And perhaps that is the way it should be. After all, does it really matter to a viewer how a channel is delivered to them?
