When 95 percent is VOD, why add FAST at all?
Tubi’s UK strategy hinges on this paradox. Here’s the real logic behind that choice.
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Tubi UK has entered its second year in one of the toughest free streaming markets in the world.
The platform has momentum: viewership up 250% (since launch), a catalog that doubled in twelve months (from 20 to 40K assets), a roaster of 19 distribution partners (with Titan as the latest addition) and a rare demographic skew with 65% of its audience under 44. At the same time, the UK remains a market where linear viewership still pulls its weight with strong broadcaster brands and where Pay TV (Tubi is yet to launch on Sky and Virgin Media) & CTV interfaces shape what gets watched.
Tubi’s position is clear.
It is not trying to replicate BBC iPlayer or ITVX. It is building a free alternative that leans on depth, fandoms and a viewing experience centered on choice. The FAST rollout adds another layer to this proposition, even though the service is still overwhelmingly AVOD-first (with “some 95% of viewing on the platform via VOD,” according to Ross Appleton in his recent interview for Broadcast International. The decision to introduce FAST channels raises a natural question about what strategic role FAST is meant to play for Tubi in the UK.
Today’s analysis explores the logic behind Tubi’s UK strategy, what its 32-channel FAST lineup signals and what Tubi will need to adapt as it looks toward deeper UK penetration.
Bonus interview: My full interview with Ross Appleton, GM Tubi UK, as Tubi celebrated its 1-year anniversary in the UK.
Premium subscribers: grab our visuals with granular data per rights holder, per genre.
What Tubi’s 32 FAST Channels reveal
Tubi is an AVOD-first platform, leaning into underserved fandoms and depth. Movies carry most of the load: Tubi UK’s film library exceeds 10,000 titles and grabs 70% of viewership.
“We’re not the arbiters of taste. Whatever you’re into, we’ll have plenty of it.”
Ross Appleton (Streaming Made Easy interview)
This AVOD foundation begs the question: What role does FAST play in a product where almost all viewing is on-demand?
FAST exists for three reasons: