FAST Festival Preview

Just as the trend to on-demand, subscription-based platforms upended the media ecosystem, the landscape is pivoting again as FAST channels become the latest model that IP owners are learning to come to grips with.

From connected TV providers like Samsung TV and Roku to the big AVOD services such as Pluto TV and Tubi, there are hundreds of FAST channels out there. Akin to the land grab that happened at the dawn of the pay-TV age, seemingly everyone is clamoring to be a part of the FAST ecosystem. Distributors of scale are tapping into their vast libraries to create their own services. Channel operators that have long operated in the cable and satellite space are extending their capabilities to FAST. And numerous technology companies are popping up to help ease the transition as everyone makes sense of this brave new world that is rooted in the traditions of what “TV” used to be. Channel surfing an EPG? Indulging in a lean-back experience that doesn’t involve trawling through poster after poster on an on-demand menu looking for something compelling to watch? How very 1990s. Of course, the economics are different now, and if you’re operating on a revenue share, you might not be seeing a ton of money just yet. But just as the subscription streamers made content owners realize they weren’t trading in ana­log dollars for digital pennies, the FAST ecosystem holds a wealth of revenue potential if you’re smart about navigating it. So get smart and tune in to our virtual FAST Festival next week, where we’ll deliver insights on selling to channel operators, curation, managing catalogs of scale and so much more. And like FAST channels, our virtual conferences are free. Register here to ensure you receive our post-event FAST trends White Paper.

The event kicks off on Tuesday with a superpanel featuring ITV Studios’ Graham Haigh, All3Media International’s Gary Woolf, Cineflix Rights’ Mike Gould and Banijay Rights’ Shaun Keeble discussing how their companies are crafting and curating single-IP and multi-genre channels from their significant catalogs. Our first keynote of the day comes from Olivier Jollet, executive VP and international general manager at Pluto TV, about the strategies powering gains at the Paramount-owned AVOD platform. Next, Haymi Behar, chief marketing and digital officer at SPI International (a CANAL+ company), will spotlight the company’s “Smart Channels.” We’ll then hear from Marcos Milanez, chief content officer at Rakuten TV, about the European platform’s FAST channel bouquet and his approach to acquisitions and originals. In the afternoon, Matt Schnaars, president of content distribution at NBCUniversal, will outline the company’s strategy for licensing product and building single-IP brands. The day wraps with the first of two sessions in our dedicated kids’ track with Chris M. Williams, the founder and CEO of pocket.watch, sharing with delegates the role that FAST plays for the company as it builds content from the creator economy into multiplatform brands.

Fremantle is tapping into its significant library to roll out a slate of FAST channels; the Wednesday schedule kicks off with Jens Richter, CEO of commercial and international, discussing the company’s approach to this segment. Samsung TV Plus aligned with Fremantle, among a host of other companies, to build out its impressive lineup of channels, so we’re thrilled to be hearing from Jennifer Batty and Aline Jabbour about their acquisition and partnership strategies in Europe and Latin America. Next, we move to Asia, where Lightning International has established a suite of curated FAST services; CEO James Ross will showcase what’s working for the company. The afternoon continues with two genre focuses: first, Autentic’s Patrick Hörl, Blue Ant International’s Solange Attwood and Albatross World Sales’ Lisa Schelhas will discuss the opportunities they’re pursuing in the factual FAST channels business; then, Common Sense Networks CEO and co-founder Eric Berger will discuss how the company is serving kids across multiple platforms in the AVOD space.

The last day of the FAST Festival opens with a keynote from Adam Lewinson, chief content officer at FOX Corporation’s Tubi, which has emerged as the leading FAST operator in the U.S. Then, David Decker, the president of content sales at Warner Bros. Discovery, will discuss how FAST fits into the company’s overall approach for monetizing its extensive slate of movies and series. At noon, Max Einhorn, senior VP of acquisitions and co-productions at FilmRise, will talk about the strategies that have made the company the largest independently owned operator of ad-supported streaming apps and FAST channels. Later in the day, we’re convening Nicely Entertainment’s Scott Kirkpatrick and Candlelight Media Group’s Scott Wiscombe to discuss how FAST channels have become valuable new outlets for independent film distributors. The day wraps with Jeff Weber, CEO of zone·tv, who will outline how the company is aiding IP owners as they navigate the FAST space with its next-generation solutions.