ABC Australia launches international FAST channels in major hardware expansion

Public service broadcasters are increasingly treating FAST as a vital secondary revenue stream to offset domestic budget constraints. By bypassing local license fees or government appropriations, ABC Australia can monetize its existing library for international audiences through hardware-native platforms like LG Channels. This move reflects a broader trend among major broadcasters, such as the BBC, to aggressively target the ad-supported connected TV market. For the ecosystem, it signal that premium, non-commercial public content is becoming a competitive staple in territory-specific FAST lineups. Watch for whether ABC deepens its tech stack with more OEM-direct deals or broadens its footprint to Samsung TV Plus or Vizio WatchFree+ to maximize reach.

The expansion comes as LG Electronics reports significant momentum for its webOS ecosystem. Per LG, July 2026, the LG Channels platform has recently surpassed 5,000 channels globally and is now available in 37 countries following a recent launch in Poland. The hardware manufacturer noted that global monthly active users for the service rose 30% year-on-year in 2025, while total viewing time increased by more than 45%, underscoring the shift toward free, ad-supported content on connected TVs.

ABC’s entry into the global FAST market aligns with a similar digital pivot by the BBC. Per CSI Magazine, July 2026, the BBC recently reached a record 502 million people worldwide, a growth partially driven by digital expansion and the distribution of its documentary and lifestyle catalogs on free streaming platforms in the U.S. and Europe. These state-backed entities are utilizing international advertising revenue to sustain operations that are traditionally and domestically ad-free.

Industry projections suggest that advertiser-supported services will continue to outpace subscription models in revenue growth. Per Mordor Intelligence, June 2026, the global television broadcasting market is estimated to reach $582 billion this year, with advertising-supported offerings accounting for roughly 55.8% of 2025 revenue. By partnering with specialist distributors like Amagi, broadcasters like ABC can efficiently tap into this shift and achieve global scale without the capital-intensive overhead of building proprietary international apps.