FAST TV Isn’t Slowing Down. Understanding the Audience Is the Key to Keeping Up

The buzz at StreamTV 2025 was loud and clear. The FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) space is expanding at a breakneck pace. But so are the challenges. As platforms race to attract viewers and ad dollars, many are realizing they’re missing a critical piece of the puzzle: a deep understanding of who their audience really is, what they’re watching, and why.

The Problem Isn’t Just Supply. It’s Strategy.

There’s no shortage of FAST channels. In fact, the supply may already outpace sustainable demand. But the platforms poised to win aren’t necessarily the biggest. They’re the ones that best understand their audience. That means going beyond basic measurement and into the realm of true audience identity.

Who’s tuning in to FAST? What motivates them? How do they move between FAST and other types of streaming like SVOD and AVOD? These questions are the foundation for smart content curation, targeted marketing, and effective monetization.

Understanding Behavior Is Good. Understanding Motivation Is Better.

Traditional measurement can show you what content people are watching. But to make decisions that move the needle, you need to understand why they’re watching. And what keeps them coming back.

That’s where Magid’s proprietary tools come in.

EmotionalDNA® helps uncover not only the content diets of different FAST users (from food competition shows to true crime junkies) but also how they feel about that content: what resonates, what doesn’t, and how that emotional engagement can guide messaging and positioning.

SubScape® provides a broader picture of streaming behavior, showing how FAST fits into a consumer’s overall content ecosystem (including SVOD, AVOD, and broadcast) at both the platform and genre level.

Together, these tools provide a 360-degree view of the modern FAST viewer and a roadmap for how to attract and retain them in a saturated market.

Why It Matters Now

With ad dollars tight and competition fierce, FAST platforms need to sharpen their strategies. Broad strokes won’t cut it. Success will come to those who can identify and act on granular audience insights, creating deeper engagement, stickier content experiences, and ultimately, more value for advertisers.

If you’re navigating the FAST space and asking, “Who’s really watching and why?”, you’re not alone. But you can get ahead. Connect with Magid’s Jill Rosengard Hill to talk about how we’re helping networks, platforms, and partners decode the FAST audience and plan for what’s next.

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