2025: Fast channels take centre stage as viewership habits shift

MUMBAI: It’s free, it’s fast, and it’s giving traditional Indian television the kind of thrashing usually reserved for cricket rivalries. Welcome to the world of Fast, free ad-supported streaming television, where viewers pay nothing, watch everything, and advertisers are practically throwing rupees at the screen like confetti at a wedding.

In 2025, Fast channels are doing more than just disrupting India’s television landscape; they’re rewriting the rulebook. The market is projected to rake in $194.71m this year, growing at a blistering 12.67 per cent annually through 2030 to hit $353.48m. That’s faster growth than your uncle’s WhatsApp forwards, and twice as lucrative.

The numbers tell a tale of tectonic shift. Connected TV households should have hit 60 million by this year’s end, overtaking India’s shrinking pay TV base of 59.91 million direct-to-home subscribers. Smart TVs priced under Rs 10,000 are flying off shelves, whilst sales of 55-inch-and-larger screens jumped 43 per cent in 2024, and even more so in 2025 as prices dropped. With 46 million broadband homes now equipped with smart TV, the stage is set for Fast TV’s meteoric rise. As connected TV penetration charges forward, having grown over 34 per cent since 2023, Fast channels are becoming the go-to for everyone from news junkies to entertainment addicts.

The platforms, like LG and Samsung, are getting crowded with the swearing in of new marriages by the day. In February 2025, Samsung TV Plus collaborated with Warner Bros to launch five new Fast channels exclusively for India, focusing heavily on Hindi programming for both regional and urban audiences. Z5 announced its Fast channel debut for August 2025 in partnership with Amagi Media Labs, promising curated, always-on content across comedy, drama, horror, and cult classics. Green Gold Animation became one of the first established Indian studios to dive into Fast, launching its 24?7 Green Gold TV across TCL, Airtel Xstream, RunnTV, YuppTV, and Cloud TV. The channel serves up animated favourites like Super Bheem and Mighty Raju, free of charge, with adverts footing the bill.

Here’s where it gets juicy: advertisers are absolutely mad for Fast. Connected TV ad spending in India has more than tripled since 2022, and reached Rs 1,500 crore in 2024. The segment is forecast to grow roughly 20 per cent in 2025 and 22 per cent in 2026, hitting around Rs 6,800-8,000 crore across both years. That would lift CTV’s share of TV and professional video ad spend from about 12 per cent in 2024 to roughly 17 per cent in 2026. By comparison, India’s overall television advertising revenue should have declined 1.5 per cent in 2025 to Rs 47,740 crore before modest recovery in 2026, making CTV and Fast the bright spots in an otherwise dimming landscape.

The average revenue per user stands at a modest $1.37 in 2025, but don’t let that fool you; the real money is in scale. The Fast market is expected to hit 154.3m users by 2030, with penetration rising from 9.8 per cent in 2025 to 10.2 per cent by 2030. Advertisers are capitalising on this reach: 91 per cent of Indian viewers engage with ads whilst watching content, often triggering immediate second-screen behaviour like browsing, shopping, or adding products to wishlists. In 2025, video isn’t just upper-funnel branding; it’s full-funnel commerce.

Regional content is king, and Fast channels are wearing the crown. Hindi news channels like ABP News, India TV, and Aaj Tak dominate Fast rankings across major CTV brands, whilst platforms are rushing to deliver localised programming in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and beyond. India’s diverse linguistic and cultural landscape fuels demand for regional offerings, and Fast channels are curating content that resonates with various demographics, from urban millennials to rural families.

The shift reflects broader changes in India’s media consumption. Traditional pay TV subscriptions have plummeted; cable television subscriptions dropped to 62 million in 2023, whilst direct-to-home services too saw a decline. Viewers are transitioning to free TV options, digital streaming platforms, and connected TVs at breakneck speed. The vast majority of video-on-demand consumers now use free ad-supported tiers, and Fast fits perfectly into this preference for accessible, diverse content without subscription fees.

Yet challenges lurk in the wings. Market saturation looms as over 1,900 individual FAST channels now operate globally, with India rapidly adding to that count. Content quality and exclusivity remain crucial; securing high-quality programming will be essential to retain viewers, but rising content rights costs could squeeze margins. Platforms must also navigate fragmented markets with varying levels of digital infrastructure and a preference for mobile-first strategies, given India’s high smartphone penetration.

Still, the momentum is undeniable. Retail media advertising in India is forecast to rise 26.4 per cent in 2025 to Rs 24,280 crore and a further 25 per cent in 2026 to Rs 30,360 crore. Connected TV is the fastest-growing format within video, and Fast is riding that wave with panache. Industry projections suggest connected TV households could exceed 150 million in the coming years, presenting significant opportunities for both content creators and advertisers.

The Reliance Jio–Disney Star merger completed in November 2024, alongside Amazon Prime Video’s ad platform launch in 2025, has intensified competition for both audiences and ad budgets. YouTube has emerged as the dominant CTV platform; connected TV is now YouTube’s fastest-growing screen in India for the past five years, cementing its role as the country’s most powerful television network.

Fast channels are no longer bantamweights in India’s streaming ring. They’re holding their own against bigger brands, landing jabs and hooks with precision. With robust growth projections, soaring advertiser interest, and an expanding base of connected TV households, Fast is transforming from fleeting trend to sustainable business model. As viewing habits evolve and consumers demand more accessible content, Fast channels are delivering exactly what the doctor ordered: free, high-quality entertainment funded by ads, served up on the biggest screen in the house. And it looks like this tsunami wave is showing no signs of slowing down.

(Figures used in this report have been sourced online. They seem to be the closest to what the reality is in the Indian marketplace)