Plex Now boast world’s largest FAST Channel line-up
APRIL 19, 2024 12.45 EUROPE/LONDON BY BROADBAND TV NEWS CORRESPONDENT

Plex says its offer of FAST channels is now over 1,000 with a total of 1,112 available across 180 countries.

More than 800 free FAST channels are streamed in the United States, with others in major international markets, including Canada, the UK, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, Spain, and Germany.

The line-up on Plex Now includes landmark brands including Fox, NBC, Scripps, Hallmark, AMC, A+E, BBC, Euronews, Lionsgate, Banijay, Fremantle, and PBS. New partners recently added include CBC News in Canada, BBC News, MLB Channel, CBS Sports HQ, CBS News, and 15 CBS local channels spanning the United States

According to Gavin Bridge, VP of Media Research for CPG Global and a FAST-focused analyst who tracks the number of FAST channels in the United States via his monthly FASTMaster report, there were more than 1,963 FAST channels in the US alone as of March 2024. Currently, Plex accounts for 847 of them (including hyper-local).

“Our aim for Live TV on Plex is to have something for ALL of our users’ television tastes all over the world,” said Keith Valory, CEO of Plex. “While this ever-growing library of free-to-stream entertainment drives Plex toward this goal of offering any entertainment a consumer may want, we are also diligently focused on providing advertisers with unparalleled reach and the transparency that should come with it.”

In addition to ensuring consumers have access to all the media that matters to them, Plex says it is focused on connecting advertisers to their audiences across Plex’s premium FAST & AVOD libraries.

“As a tech company at our core, Plex has invested heavily in our advertising platform to ensure advertisers can buy premium inventory with full transparency, viewability, and at the highest yield,” said Todd Hay, VP of Revenue & Engagement. “Our platform optimizes each ad break for impactful reach for advertisers and for the best possible user experience – from real-time loudness leveling of creatives to de-duping and competitive separation within ad breaks. We aim to put advertisers’ messages in front of the right viewers in the best possible light. This makes it a win for all, as it should be.”

In addition to supporting the expected pre- and mid-roll in-stream placements, Plex offers innovative ad products that tap into users’ ability to manage “intent” on the platform. An interactive trailer unit allows users to add content directly to their watchlist with the click of the remote – whether it’s an in-stream ad or a promoted trailer on the home screen.