Omdia: movie channels lead Pluto TV viewing as FAST outpaces pay TV

Maria Rua Aguete in Cannes

Some 43% of all viewing on Paramount-owned Pluto TV is down to its FAST movie channels, according to new research from Omdia and PlumResearch.

The research found that Pluto owns six of the top ten most-watched channels exclusively dedicated to the genre.

Delivering a presentation at the Cannes Film Festival, Maria Rua Aguete, senior director, media and entertainment at Omdia, said that the research highlighted the enduring popularity of movies as the platform’s most cherished genre among viewers.

According to Omdia FAST channels are now more popular than pay TV in markets as diverse as the US and Brazil.

Data from Omdia’s latest consumer survey uncovered a significant shift in viewing habits in both the UK and Brazil. In the US, 60% of video users in the US now turn to FAST services such as Pluto TV, Tubi, Roku on a monthly basis, surpassing the 55% who prefer Pay TV services like Comcast or AT&T.

Similarly in Brazil, 47% of viewers opt for FAST channels compared to 45% for pay TV. The top performers in the US FAST market are Tubi, Roku Channel, Freevee, and Pluto TV, while in Brazil, Samsung TV Plus, Pluto TV, and LG dominate the charts.

According to Omdia, Pluto TV is a global leader in FAST, with hardware (Samsung, Roku, Vizio) platforms dominating in the US and LATAM, while broadcasters and Rakuten are key in European markets.

US to dominate FAST market

The US is projected to dominate the US$12 billion FAST market by 2028, with international FAST revenue exceeding US$2 billion. Pluto TV is active in nine of the top 10 international FAST markets, positioning it for strong international revenue growth, according to the research outfit.

Rua Aguete said: “This shift signifies the growing appetite for diverse and accessible content options, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of entertainment consumption. This transformation arrives after a decade following the inception of Pluto TV, born from a contrarian vision aimed at resolving the paradox of choice. Its pioneering introduction of free-ad supported television (FAST) heralded a new era fundamentally altering the media industry’s landscape forever.

“I am thrilled to present these findings at Cannes Film Festival and that FAST is now a premier destination for movie lovers and a complementary window within the expansive video content industry.”