CTV & video · also called FAST, FAST channels
FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV)
FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) channels are free, linear-style streaming channels with scheduled programming and ad breaks, delivered over the internet to smart TVs and apps.
FAST recreates the feel of traditional channel-surfing on streaming. Instead of choosing a show on demand, you tune into a channel that is already playing, such as a 24-hour cooking channel, classic sitcom reruns or news, and it is free because it carries ads.
FAST channels live on platforms such as Samsung TV Plus, LG Channels, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV and Tubi, often built into smart TVs' home screens. Channels are frequently programmed by content owners using their libraries, with ad breaks filled via SSAI and sold both directly and programmatically. Revenue is typically shared between the channel owner and the platform.
FAST is a fast-growing source of CTV ad inventory, but its complexity, with many channels, multiple resellers and inventory-sharing deals between platforms and content owners, creates transparency challenges. Buyers should check app-ads.txt and sellers.json entries, since the same stream may be sold by several parties, and watch for CTV fraud.
Think of it like this
FAST is like free-to-air television reborn on the internet: you just switch on and something is showing, with ad breaks paying the bills.
An example
A classic game-show FAST channel on smart TVs in the UK runs about 10 minutes of ads per hour, filled by SSAI, with the channel owner and TV platform splitting the ad revenue.
Related terms
AVOD
AVOD (advertising-based video on demand) is streaming video that viewers watch on demand for free or at reduced cost, funded by showing ads before or during the content.
CTV (connected TV)
CTV (connected TV) is any television connected to the internet, such as a smart TV, streaming stick, games console or set-top box, and the advertising shown in streaming apps on it.
SSAI (server-side ad insertion)
SSAI (server-side ad insertion) stitches video ads directly into the content stream on a server before it reaches the viewer, creating seamless, TV-like playback that ad blockers find hard to detect.
Linear TV
Linear TV is traditional scheduled television, broadcast, cable or satellite, where viewers watch programmes at the time the channel airs them, with ad breaks sold to all viewers of that channel.
OTT (over-the-top)
OTT (over-the-top) means video and audio content delivered over the internet directly to viewers, bypassing cable, satellite or broadcast distribution, and watchable on any device.
Sources: IAB Tech Lab CTV standards