Broadcast industry: What to expect in 2021?

FAST on the rise

In 2021, we can expect to see a tremendous amount of growth in Free Ad Supported TV (FAST). New players will emerge in the industry, as Telcos, cable operators and specialized niche app players get into the game. Some of the large TV networks that have sat out on FAST will now come into the space, creating an extremely competitive industry. Outside of cable networks, we will also see local news take this opportunity to reach a younger audience. 2021 will definitely be the year of FAST

Mobile takes the spotlight

In the last several years, we’ve seen CTV continue to grow. This is especially true as many viewers were tied to their homes with the global health crisis. However, as we begin to bounce back, we’ll start to see in 2021 and 2022, mobile take the spotlight with companies offering mobile applications for linear streaming content. We’ve already seen this from Samsung, Roku and several others. I believe we are headed in the direction of seeing a default TV application installed on phones, offering FAST.

Freemium vs Paid

As the landscape grows more competitive, we’ll begin to see paid channels offer freemium options and free apps offering a paid premium option. Currently, we see this approach with Peacock where users can freely stream certain shows with ads or upgrade to have an ad-free experience. In 2021, I expect to see many more companies taking this approach to increase viewership and take additional market share.

Explosion of channels

“Similar to a cable experience, consumers want access to different channels all at the touch of a button. With this high demand for content consumption, we will continue to see an explosion of channels being launched. For Amagi specifically, every month we launch 20-30 channels for our customers who are trying to keep up with the demands of viewers. As the volume of channels continues to grow, we will see a split in how platforms will handle the way they provide and distribute their content as the industry determines the most productive and efficient way of operating. On one end, we will see some platforms spread out their content into many subcategories, making niche content incredibly easy to find for their viewers, where on the other end of the spectrum, we will see platforms consolidate and simplify their channels to provide a broad overview of content. The consumer ultimately will hold the power in the end when determining which approach provides easier access to content and meets their overarching needs.”

Original programming for FAST

“There are many players in the FAST industry, and as more and more pop up, each will be experimenting with different ways to provide a unique experience and differentiate themselves from competitors. We will see FAST providers experiment with creating owned and operated channels to help them distinguish themselves. We will find these platforms commissioning productions for new content and channels of their own, providing them as exclusives for their platform users. FAST platforms will inevitably use these methods and features to promote their services and provide a user experience that consumers want to go back for.”

User experience

“For FAST platforms, available content is incredibly important for gaining traction with viewers, however with many different players in the industry, access, interface, and user experience are going to be the key differentiators for the leaders in the industry. The platforms with the best user experience, allowing quick, easy, and customizable access to ideal content without putting extra work on the consumers will be the ones that gain traction and come out on top.”