May 12, 2026

Feeling Subscription Fatigue? Why FAST Channels Belong in Your Media Mix

By Jenny Sutton, Head of Digital Marketing Solutions, Audacy

It’s Sunday evening, and you’re winding down for the night. You’re looking for a fun, familiar movie to put on in the background while you fold laundry. You open one app — nothing there. You check another, but you’re not subscribed to that tier. It’s the classic case of subscription fatigue: you’re paying for so many services, yet somehow, you still can’t find the right movie to watch without jumping through hoops.

Then, you see it: the Reese Witherspoon classic, Legally Blonde, pops up on your Smart TV home screen. Even better — it’s free to watch on Tubi.

Tubi, along with the Roku Channel and Sling TV, are among a growing segment of Over-the-Top (OTT) streaming services, called FAST. As consumers become overwhelmed by subscription fatigue — with over 40% of subscribers reporting they pay for too many services¹ — FAST channels offer a free, easy-to-access alternative.

What Is FAST and Why Should You Care?

FAST stands for free ad-supported streaming TV and allows viewers to watch a mix of live TV channels and on-demand content for free. FAST channels are often pre-installed on connected TVs; they don’t require a login, and, instead of a subscription, FAST relies on ads for revenue. These qualities create a low barrier to entry for viewers. Plus, free streaming is a welcome relief for those feeling the pinch of too many subscriptions.

For advertisers, it’s worth noting that free for the viewer doesn’t mean low quality for the brand. It’s simply a different business model, and it’s currently the standout category for ad-friendly growth: FAST viewership is projected to cross 125 million in 2026, adding 4.5 million new users².

Expand Your Reach with FAST Channels

As local businesses shift their linear TV budgets to OTT, it’s tempting to stick with the household names, like the Paramounts or the Hulus of the world. Those are the platforms we personally know and recognize. But if you focus only on the premium platforms, you’re limiting your audience.

When you think of your favorite TV shows, you’re not just watching on Paramount or only Disney+, right? You’re bouncing between a variety of platforms. By limiting your buy to one brand name service, you limit your reach to only the people who pay for that subscription. Adding FAST channels to your media mix allows you to reach a wider, engaged audience.

Plus, with FAST, you get all of the precise targeting benefits of OTT advertising. OTT offers a data goldmine that helps you build campaigns around who is watching and how they behave, making it easier to optimize when the right measurement is in place.

What to Consider Before Selecting Your OTT Media Mix

Before you lock in your media plan, here are a few levers to help you identify the best channels for your brand.

Focus on your audience first: Determine who you want to target and pin down where your audience spends their time before picking the channels you want to include.
Keep cost efficiency in mind: Premium, well-known services are usually more expensive to advertise on than FAST channels. FAST can often help you stretch your media budget further while still reaching your target audience.
Consider device type and length of content: The living room experience isn’t in the Leave It to Beaver era anymore. While viewers used to watch full 25-minute shows, that’s not how families watch today. With apps like YouTube on connected TVs and the ability to stream on mobile devices, we’re seeing more short-form content than ever before.
Match the content to your brand: Even if the audience is perfect, consider the contextual fit. A luxury brand might feel out of place running next to a marathon of low-budget reality TV. Always aim for content that complements your brand’s personality.

Meet Your Audience Where They Stream

We are all watching content across a variety of channels, and FAST makes up a growing portion of that time. As you transition your marketing dollars away from linear TV, don’t narrow your focus to just the big networks. The best, most efficient buy is one that spans a broader ecosystem and mirrors how your audience actually watches.