EXCLUSIVE: It’s a FAST world, and we’re just living in it – at least, that’s what a new report from European streamer Rakuten TV is telling us.
Ahead of a presentation at SXSW London today, Rakuten shared insights from its study, The FAST Advantage, which shows that Europeans are taking FAST channels seriously as a mainstream option.
Key stats from a survey of 750 European consumers in five major markets include: 73.7% of viewers watch FAST daily or several times a week, 80.1% consider the medium a “main way” to watch TV or an alternative to paid-for streaming services, and 60.7% expect to increase their usage in the future. Only 4.3% said they would reduce their viewing time.
The report covered the UK, Germany, Spain, France and Italy. In each country, viewers were broadly willing to accept advertising, with 82.3% responding positively, and that FAST channels were being used to explore the value of subscription services. Nearly 46% said they surveyed FAST channels to decide on what SVODs to use, and nearly 30% used the medium to inform choices on what subscriptions to ditch.
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Most viewers (92.4%) said local content was important, but there are differences in how European markets operate. In the UK, FAST is seen to support content discovery and subscription decision-making, while in Germany subscription fatigue is leading to higher FAST adoption. Spain and Italy are the most
The findings will be presented at a SXSW London panel session, ‘You Free Pass to the Future of TV: Rakuten TV, AMC Global Media & The FAST Channel Revolution’ this morning in the UK. Rakuten and AMC do FAST business together, with a suite of AMC-branded channels distributed on the streaming platform in Europe.
Rakuten argues its research, which publishes on Friday (June 5) and was commissioned by B2B unit Rakuten TV Enterprise, proves FAST is now a “long-term strategic opportunity” for IP owners, offering new ways into audience growth, content discovery and monetization. In essence, the medium is maturing to offer a business model in its own right.
In a statement, Rakuten’s CEO and President, Cédric Dufour, said: “FAST is entering a new phase of maturity across Europe, evolving from an emerging trend into a mainstream viewing behaviour across multiple markets. For content owners, this creates significant opportunities to extend the value of content libraries, increase audience reach and build deeper engagement within ad-supported environments.
“Success in FAST is no longer just about distribution or monetization, but about balancing content, advertising and viewer experience in ways that feel relevant and sustainable for audiences. Rakuten TV Enterprise sits at the centre of this evolution, connecting content owners with the right audiences, platforms and monetisation opportunities across Europe, while helping create more engaging and sustainable streaming experiences.”
Lucy Halliday, VP, Business Development International at AMC Global Media – UK, said: “As viewing habits continue to evolve, FAST is becoming an increasingly important part of the mix for us sitting alongside broadcast, licensing and subscription to expand how audiences discover and access content in the UK.
“Our partnership with Rakuten TV shows how this works in practice, bringing premium, IP-led channels to new audiences in a way that feels accessible and relevant to today’s viewing behaviours. FAST is proving highly additive, driving discovery and engagement while complementing our wider distribution strategy. As we grow our FAST footprint across the UK, partnerships like this will be key to scaling reach and unlocking further value from our content portfolio.”
Rakuten and AMC are presenting at Protein Studios today, as part of the second SXSW London.