Legacy News Funnels Billions into FAST, Shifts Broadcast Journalism to Digital
Legacy news networks are significantly investing in Free Ad-supported Streaming Television (FAST) platforms like ABC News Live, shifting broadcast journalism towards digital distribution. This move is driven by declining cable subscriptions, aiming to democratize access to news and leverage targeted ad data for profitability. The strategy involves recycling broadcast content and optimizing ad revenues through digital platform capabilities.
Key Takeaways
- Broadcast journalism is shifting to digital distribution, with networks funneling significant investments into FAST platforms.
- ABC News Live operates 24/7 coverage and secured a distribution agreement for audio simulcasts on SiriusXM.
- Executive promotions, such as Seni Tienabeso to VP, signal internal restructuring prioritizing digital growth over linear TV.
- FAST channels efficiently recycle high-cost reporting created for flagship broadcasts, supplementing with specialized live streaming anchors like Linsey Davis.
- Digital streaming provides advertisers with hyper-targeted demographic data, enabling higher ad rates than traditional broadcast television.
Why It Matters
This pivot by legacy news organizations highlights a fundamental shift in content distribution and monetization, moving away from traditional carriage fees. The aggressive investment in FAST channels signals the maturity of ad-supported streaming as a primary revenue driver for even high-cost content like news. This move also broadens access to premium news content globally, bypassing traditional pay-TV gatekeepers. Watch for similar investment patterns from other established broadcasters and how their content acquisition and production strategies adapt to fit FAST economics and global reach objectives.
Read full article at streamlinefeed.co.ke
Enjoy our coverage?
Add StreamingMeme as a preferred source on Google to see more of our streaming news at the top of your Search results.
Add as preferred source