AVOD vs. FAST

Programmers like free ad-supported TV channels because they’re an onramp to bring more viewers into ad-supported video-on-demand environments.

Video creators like Tastemade are blurring the lines between short- and long-form video. Tastemade launched in 2012 to create food-focused video content for social media platforms, but the exploding growth in connected TV viewership triggered a transition for Tastemade to expand into a broader media company that includes streaming channels.

FAST channels are a good way to channel (pun intended) more viewers into VOD content libraries. Without sign-ins, payment or the burden of deciding what to watch, FAST channels have a lower barrier of entry, and ideally, viewers who find something new they like on FAST will continue watching the series more regularly in VOD.

AVOD is the same thing as FAST … right? Not so fast. Despite dozens of streamers, programmers and publishers crowding the space, AVOD and FAST are the only two ways to watch ad-supported TV beyond the set-top box, and the core difference between them comes down to content distribution.