FAST emerges as India’s largest untapped CTV ad inventory: WPP Media-The Trade Desk

Free ad-supported television (FAST) is emerging as the next big growth opportunity in India’s connected TV market, with one in five CTV viewers already watching FAST channels for close to 50 minutes a day, according to a new report by WPP Media and The Trade Desk, executed by Ormax Media.

The report, The Connected TV Era: India’s New Prime Time, finds that one-third of CTV viewers are already aware of FAST, while one in five is watching it. It describes FAST as “the single largest untapped ad-funded inventory in Indian CTV”, suggesting the format could open up a significant new pool of advertising inventory as connected television adoption grows.

FAST, or free ad-supported television, combines linear and on-demand programming and is available without a subscription. The channels are built directly into smart TV operating systems, allowing viewers to access content without having to pay for another streaming service.

The format is also benefiting from its familiarity with traditional television. According to the report, FAST programming echoes the types of content available on linear TV, which could make the viewing experience more comfortable for audiences. News, movies and entertainment, including reality shows and serials, dominate FAST viewing.

More importantly for advertisers, FAST audiences appear to be highly engaged with the connected screen. They spend an average 3.4 hours a day on CTV, compared with 2.9 hours among CTV viewers overall. The report expects FAST viewership to grow as more households become familiar with the format.

FAST adoption remains urban-led

While the broader CTV market is expanding rapidly across India, FAST adoption currently has a distinctly urban skew. Delhi, Mumbai, Andhra Pradesh-Telangana and Tamil Nadu have the highest concentration of FAST viewers, according to the report.

This gives FAST a different growth profile from the wider CTV ecosystem. India now has 62 million-65 million CTV households and 207 million viewers, with the CTV audience growing threefold since 2022. However, the fastest growth in CTV is coming from smaller markets and rural India, where audiences grew 55% in small towns and 110% in rural markets over the past year.

For FAST, the urban concentration suggests the format is still in an early adoption phase, even as the infrastructure required to support its expansion becomes increasingly widespread.

Smart TVs could accelerate FAST adoption

A key advantage for FAST is that it sits directly within the smart TV ecosystem. 82% of CTV users access streaming content through apps built into their smart TVs, while only 18% use external devices or set-top boxes.

The report identifies the OEM ecosystem, including Samsung, LG, Xiaomi, Sony and TCL, as an increasingly important advertising distribution layer. With FAST channels built into smart TV operating systems, consumers can discover and access them without the friction of downloading a separate service or taking on a subscription.

This also gives FAST an advantage in replicating the traditional television experience. Its combination of familiar programming, free access and a television-first interface could help the format appeal to consumers who are comfortable with linear TV but increasingly consuming streaming content.

A new pool of TV inventory for advertisers

The opportunity for advertisers comes as CTV itself becomes a more addressable and measurable part of television planning.

The report finds that 83% of CTV viewers seek more information after seeing an advertisement, with the figure rising to 89% among premium CTV audiences. Addressable CTV advertising can potentially connect exposure with outcomes including online engagement, brand lift, store visits and retail sales.

FAST also offers advertisers an opportunity to move beyond the traditional prime-time television window. The report flags late-night and weekend CTV viewing as high-attention but under-bought, with weekend viewing between 10 pm and midnight reaching 61%.

That creates an opportunity for FAST to add inventory at times when advertisers may otherwise face greater competition for traditional television slots.

The viewing environment itself also differs from mobile advertising. More than 80% of CTV viewing is shared, with a single CTV impression reaching approximately 2.5 people in a household of 3.3 on average. The report argues that advertisers therefore need to consider household-level reach rather than treating CTV impressions in the same way as personal-screen impressions.

FAST fits into a changing TV ecosystem

FAST's rise comes as the distinction between linear television and streaming continues to blur. While 68% of CTV households still maintain a linear TV connection, 27% have completely cut the cord and another 27% are light linear viewers.

This creates a growing group of households for whom connected television is becoming the primary route to long-form video. The report also finds that cord-cutting increases as media affluence declines, suggesting that the shift is not limited to affluent, technology-first consumers.

FAST's traditional-TV-like programming could therefore be particularly relevant as viewing shifts from linear connections to internet-enabled television. Rather than requiring viewers to actively choose and pay for an OTT service, FAST can offer a more passive, channel-based viewing experience within the smart TV environment.

The audience opportunity

The potential FAST audience also sits within a rapidly expanding CTV universe. Gen Z viewers, for instance, spend 3.1 hours a day on CTV, with 77% watching with friends or family. Nearly half have increased their CTV usage over the past year, while 68% prefer watching OTT apps on smart TVs.

Premium CTV audiences are another attractive segment. The report estimates 21 million premium urban CTV viewers, with 89% seeking more information about a product after seeing a CTV ad and spending around three hours a day on the platform.

For FAST, the opportunity is therefore not simply about replicating linear television. It is about putting familiar, ad-supported programming on a screen that is increasingly connected, measurable and capable of targeting specific households.

The report expects the next phase of CTV to move from scale towards more intelligent advertising, with AI-led, interactive and shoppable formats connecting big-screen exposure with search, enquiries, add-to-cart actions, store visits and purchases.