With the cost of streaming services going up, password-sharing crackdowns, and ever-rising cable bills, finding ways to watch TV that don’t break the bank has become increasingly challenging.
Perhaps for that reason, 2023 saw a growing number of consumers turning to the world of FAST channels.
The FAST acronym stands for free, ad-supported streaming TV. While that acronym may sound like some newfangled tech term, FAST TV actually has a lot in common with old-fangled broadcast TV.
As Variety put it, the format bears similarities to watching a TV network, though some video on demand options are also available on FAST channels.
For example, if you’re going to Netflix, you check out the options and decide what you want to watch, whether it’s “Suits” reruns or “Love Is Blind” episodes.
By contrast, FAST TV delivers, as CNET explains, “programming similar to cable, satellite or traditional TV. You can view FAST TV content on virtually any device at no cost; the only trade-off is that you have to watch commercials.”
As CNET says, FAST TV channels can include “TV shows, movies, reality series and live news. Depending on the service, you can watch titles on demand or stream prescheduled broadcasts. And the commercial load is typically less than what you get with traditional TV. According to a Nielsen report, audiences are attracted to classic TV on these platforms, and the addition of studio content from the likes of Warner Bros. Discovery, MGM and NBC on dedicated hubs is increasing viewership.”
Tubi, Pluto TV, and other popular FAST TV channels represent a burgeoning portion of the TV business. According to Deadline, there are more than 1,500 FAST channels now operating in the U.S.
In addition to Tubi and Pluto TV, other notable channels competing for viewers include Amazon’s Freevee; Xumo Play; and the Roku Channel.
As opposed to streaming platforms such as Netflix, Max, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Apple TV+, Paramount+, and others, viewers with Internet can watch FAST channels for free. But, as with commercial broadcast channels such as ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC, programming is interrupted by commercials. (And, as consumers have no doubt noticed, streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are also offering lower-priced subscriptions that are broken up by occasional commercials.)
The comedy series, "Jury Duty," with Ronald Gladden, left, and James Marsden, right, is available on Amazon Freevee. AP
Some FAST channels are offering original programming, such as the comedy “Jury Duty,” and the “Judge Judy” spinoff, “Judy Justice,” both of which have been hits for Amazon Freevee.
Current episodes of broadcast series such as “Next Level Chef” and “The Masked Singer” are available on Tubi, which, like many other FAST channels, also includes scores of vintage TV shows (“Bewitched,” “Babylon 5,” “Everybody Hates Chris”), along with older movies (“Madagascar,” “Friday,” “Us”).
6 OPTIONS FOR CHEAP TV
Wondering how to watch free, ad-supported streaming TV services, or how to take advantage of other affordable TV? Here are details about some of the popular options.
Amazon Freevee: As the Freevee homepage says, it’s a free streaming service that includes thousands of movies, TV shows, Freevee originals and live 24/7 entertainment channels. It can be streamed free on devices including Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, PlayStation 4 and 5, Samsung Smart TV, Xbox and Xfinity. The app can also be found on Google Play and in the Apple App Store. There are channels devoted to vintage TV series (“Murder, She Wrote,” “Little House on the Prairie,” “Bizarre Foods With Andrew Zimmern”), along with live news from networks such as ABC. There have been reports indicating some uncertainty about Freevee’s future, now that Amazon Prime Video now incorporates ads (unless users pay a higher fee for an ad-free version), but for now, Freevee is still available. (For more details: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/splash/freevee_findus)
Crackle: Owned by Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Crackle is an ad-supported video on demand service that lets viewers search for and choose from movies, TV shows, and original programming. The library includes many BBC series, such as “Sherlock,” and is categorized into varieties including “Popular TV,” “Popular Movies,” “Family Favorites,” “Action,” “Giant Monsters,” “Black Entertainment” and “Comfort TV Classics.” Here’s a list of Crackle-supported devices: https://helpcenter.crackle.com/hc/en-us/categories/360000451073-Supported-Devices (For more details: https://www.crackle.com/)
Pluto TV: As the service website says, Pluto TV delivers hundreds of live linear channels, and thousands of titles available on demand. A sample of available shows includes CBS series such as “So Help Me Todd,” “Ghosts,” “Survivor,” and classic series including “I Love Lucy,” “Family Ties,” “227″ and “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” Here is a list of devices where you can watch Pluto TV: https://pluto.tv/where-to-watch (For more details: https://pluto.tv/welcome)
Roku Channel: The service offers what it says are thousands of free TV shows, movies, Roku originals, more than 400 live TV channels, kids’ entertainment, premium subscriptions, and more. You can watch Roku Channel programming on such devices as Samsung Smart TVs, and compatible Amazon Fire TV, use Roku mobile apps, or watch on the Internet at therokuchannel.com
Tubi: The service offers what it says is “the largest library of content with over 50,000 movies and television shows, the best streaming technology, and a personalization engine to recommend the best content for you.” Nearly 250 FAST channels are available, as are some original content. In a sign of media companies’ increasing interest in FAST channels, some HBO series, including “Westworld,” have been yanked from MAX and licensed to FAST outlets, including Tubi. Here is a list of ways to watch Tubi, on streaming devices, smart TVs, mobile and tablets, web and desktop: https://tubitv.com/static/devices (For more details: https://tubitv.com/home)
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Xumo Play: Xumo Play is a free, ad-supported streaming app available on Xfinity X1 and Xfinity Flex. According to Xfinity, Xumo Play provides free access to more than 300 free channels, thousands of free movies available on demand, local news networks, TV shows, sports coverage, family-friendly programming and more. Here’s a list of ways to watch Xumo Play: https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/xumo-play-app-overview (For more details: https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/xumo-app-faq)
— Kristi Turnquist covers features and entertainment. Reach her at 503-221-8227, kturnquist@oregonian.com or @Kristiturnquist
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