Free Streaming TV Trends with The VAB: Access, awareness, and innovation

Free ad-supported streaming TV continues to gain traction as both viewers and advertisers look for more accessible, flexible ways to engage with content. With more platforms, new channels, and increased investment from major media companies, FAST is quickly becoming a key part of the streaming ecosystem – offering a familiar, lean-back experience without the cost barrier.

As Leah Pujalte, VP, Audience & Behavioral Insights at the VAB, explains, accessibility is a major driver of free streaming TV’s appeal: “there’s no barrier to entry, and I think that’s perfect these days, where everything costs something to access.” That ease of access is helping free streaming channels reach new audiences – particularly viewers who may not be engaged through traditional subscription services.

At the same time, driving awareness is increasingly a challenge in this space, Pujalte says. While major events and platform investments are beginning to shift perception, there is still significant opportunity to educate both consumers and marketers on the scale and value free ad-supported streaming TV can deliver. High-profile moments are starting to bring more attention – and ad dollars – into the ecosystem, but there’s even greater opportunity to boost awareness of FAST content across the board.

Looking ahead, innovation in ad formats and content is helping free streaming TV evolve beyond early perceptions. From interactive and shoppable ads to a growing library of fresh and new programming, the space is becoming more dynamic and performance-driven than before.

I think there’s a lot you can be excited about when it comes to FAST. There’s so many platforms. A lot of major media companies are investing a lot as well – creating new content and new channels for FAST services. So, I think it’s a really exciting place to reach new viewers.”

Leah Pujalte

VP, Audience & Behavioral Insights
The VAB

Free Streaming TV Trends is a Wurl original video series featuring short-form conversations with industry leaders exploring what’s driving the future of free ad-supported streaming television. Each episode dives into the ideas, innovations, and strategies shaping the FAST ecosystem.

Transcript

Tori: All right Leah thank you so much for being with us today. We really appreciate it.

Leah: Thank you for having me.

Tori: You are the perfect person to have here because you do have such a finger on the pulse of trends happening in the industry. And I know today we’re here to talk about free ad-supported streaming specifically and what you’re seeing there. So I am curious what excites you about free ad-supported streaming TV and what do you think is the biggest opportunity out there in the space?

Leah: You know I think there’s a lot that you can be excited about when it comes to FAST. There’s just so many platforms. A lot of major media companies are investing a lot as well and creating new content, new channels for FAST services. So I think it’s just a really exciting place to reach new viewers, you know people that might not be accessible in certain spaces you can find on FAST because it gives you this like lean back experience very similar to like channel surfing days. But there’s no barrier to entry, and I think that’s just so perfect these days, where everything costs something to access.

Tori: The barrier to entry point I think is a really good one and something we think about a lot too at Wurl. What do you think is holding the industry back from fully tapping into free ad-supported streaming’s potential?

Leah: I think awareness still remains a challenge. From the consumer perspective people are becoming more aware of these platforms because of bigger events like having the Super Bowl on Tubi. I think that drew a lot of people in and I think in that same vein those big events are catching the eyes of marketers who want to also be in these new spaces and in these big events. There’s just so much opportunity there, and it’s just making sure that people know that it exists and that people should really be paying attention to it.

Tori: We’ve heard a lot about innovations taking shape in free ad-supported streaming and innovations that are helping advertisers really see the value on the medium. Curious to hear from your perspective, what are the most exciting innovations that you’re hearing about in the space that you think will really move the needle?

Leah: I think when it comes to FAST advertising, there’s just a lot of different technologies that people can leverage now. You can do interactive advertising, you can do shoppable ads in these digital spaces it just makes it that much easier for people to connect and to you know buy your product or learn more. So I think that there’s something to be said for marketers there’s like endless opportunities.

Tori: And obviously, because you are with the VAB and you all have such great insights into what’s happening in the market, I would love to hear about any recent data or new trends you’re seeing specific to streaming TV and the free streaming space. Any insights you want to share on that front?

Leah: Absolutely, so you know I’ve been investigating FAST a lot myself recently and what we found is you know previously people might have thought that FAST services are more for you know older content like really heavy on the nostalgia and I think that’s definitely an element to it but newer data has come out that’s found that actually a lot of content on FAST services is fairly recent. In fact I think it was like nearly half of the content on FAST services has been produced from 2020 to the present and that’s more than you even find on SVOD services.

Tori: Well thank you so much Leah I appreciate your time. Thanks so much.