“AI is going to be a huge game-changer,” says TVREV co-founder and lead analyst Alan Wolk. He coined the term “FAST” for free ad-supported television during its infancy as an outlet for digitized longtail and legacy content that FAST channel providers were discovering could enjoy a second or third life as commer­cially viable media, thanks to the improved tar­geting opportunities available through OTT

Chris Pfaff, CEO, Chris Pfaff Tech Media, Producers Guild of America (PGA), VR AR Association (VRARA), dives into the AI streaming monetization question with Bethany Atchison, VP, Distribution Partner Management, Vevo, Daniel Trotta, Product Manager, Content Engagement & Monetization, Warner Bros. Discovery, Alan Wolk, Co-Founder/Lead Analyst, TVREV, and Paul Erickson, Founder and Principal, Erickson Strategy & Insights in this clip from Streaming Media Connect 2023.

Shapiro says that recent studies, including one by Samsung, show that the consumer ad experience on CTV is superior to linear TV because it is much more personalized. However, even with this improved experience for users, its deeper benefits for advertisers and platforms remain opaque due to a lack of a universal measuring system for ad engagement.

Vizio started its ad business in 2019. In Q2 2023, 57% of the time a consumer had their Vizio TV on, they were watching streamed content. Adam Bergman, group VP for advertising and data sales at Vizio, says the company can target at the national level, all the way down into ZIP
plus four. This is similar to what Centriply does, but of course, only on Vizio hardware.

Personalized data is critical to video content monetization, whether in a subscription-based environment or an ad-driven FAST channel. Coming at the topic from both angles, LaShawn McGhee, Co-Founder & CPO, Revry, and Rob Collins, Executive Director of Software Development, Starz, discuss the topic with Nadine Krefetz, Consultant, Reality Software, Contributing Editor, Streaming Media in this clip from their panel at Streaming Media Connect 2023.

Paul Kontonis, the Chief Marketing Officer for Revry, a streaming network launched in 2016 that focuses on queer content and creators, also emphasizes three key ideas that he says “we knew we needed to do when launching our FAST channel”: