4 reasons why free TV deserves its own line on the media plan

1. Marketers get the ‘best of both worlds’

FAST isn’t just ’TV light’ or ’digital plus’. It delivers the reach and presence of TV with the targeting and measurability of digital. “It’s the best parts of digital on the big screen in the home,” said Holder. For brands with smaller budgets, that opens up sports and news environments that were once out of reach.

2. FAST has growing - and shifting - audiences

CNN sees FAST as a supplement, not a replacement, for traditional TV viewers. “It’s the same audience, just changing where they consume,” said Karmali. TalkSport echoed the trend, noting almost 4 million regular listeners translating naturally into video viewers.

3. Trust travels across platforms

For CNN, FAST is as much about reinforcing brand equity as it is about innovation. “It’s trust. It’s facts. It’s a safe space for information,” Karmali reminded the room. That brand halo matters in an environment where discoverability and reliability are everything.

4. Live content still rules

From breaking news to deadline-day drama, audiences lean in when events unfold in real time. Boxing watch-alongs and football coverage are surging on TalkSport’s FAST feed, while CNN has introduced ‘Headlines’ – a rolling, snackable format refreshed hourly to capture attention spans on connected TVs.

With thousands of FAST channels live across the globe, and over 800 on LG channels alone in the top 5 European markets, CNN and TalkSport are proof that legacy broadcasters can innovate without losing their roots. And for advertisers, the message was clear: FAST is a new space altogether – and one that’s fast becoming too big for advertisers to ignore.