CONTENT WARSAW: The CEE region might be late to the FAST boom but there are signs of growth and much potential with Poland as a test case, Peyton Lombardo of 3Vision told delegates here in Warsaw today.

The rise of free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) is altering the global video content landscape with increasing velocity. Once viewed as a US-centric model, FAST is now permeating new territories, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).

Peyton Lombardo at Content Warsaw

At a Content Warsaw panel session today, Peyton Lombardo, senior manager at UK research outfit 3Vision, delivered a presentation titled FAST & AVoD Content Trends for CEE & the Global Market. It provided fresh data and analysis on the direction of this market – its revenues, strategies and regional implications – with a sharp focus on Poland as a leading case within the CEE region.

At a global level, the shift in consumer and commercial value is clear. According to 3Vision’s analysis, FAST, alongside AVoD and SVoD, now constitutes a significant share of the entertainment market. Lombardo presented data comparing global entertainment revenues across sectors. In its most recent data for 2024, gaming leads the field at US$188bn, followed by SVoD, AVoD, FAST and TVoD collectively at US$179bn, ahead of TV advertising at US$163bn and pay TV at US$133bn. Other traditional sectors continue to lag, with radio at US$35bn, recorded music at US$30bn, live music at US$30bn, and box office at US$32bn.

This data starkly illustrates the momentum behind digital entertainment platforms. With traditional categories either plateauing or declining, content owners and advertisers alike are channelling their resources into FAST and other ad-supported platforms that are more adaptable to shifting audience habits.

Despite this global surge, the CEE region remains at an early stage in FAST development. Nonetheless, 3Vision’s data suggests that this is changing. Poland, in particular, shows a nascent but promising market trajectory, led by international platforms like Rakuten TV and local broadcasters such as TVN, part of Warner Bros Discovery.

One of the clearest examples from the presentation is Rakuten TV’s FAST rollout in Poland. Rakuten offers 73 FAST channels in Poland, with seven localised in Polish. This compares with TVN Player, with 22 FAST channels, while Telewizja Polska launched its first FAST channel in April, as part of plans to have 20 such channels. Independent operator Plex, meanwhile, offers FAST channels but none in Polish.

Data from April 2024 and April 2025 reveals that the nature of content in Rakuten’s FAST channel line-up evolved over the year. In April 2024, 95% (62 channels) of the FAST lineup comprised global content, with only 5% local. By April 2025, this had begun to shift: local content rose to 10%, and global content dropped to 90% (66 channels). This move toward localisation is not just cosmetic – it’s strategically necessary to drive engagement in a market where cultural and language plays a key role in content consumption.

Further insights come from TVN Player, which is fast emerging as a new breed of broadcaster-led FAST platform. Based on 3Vision’s metrics from November 2024 and May 2025, the platform offers a variety of genre-based and thematic channels. As of May 2025, TVN Player’s FAST channels were 77% unscripted and 23% scripted, with the unscripted formats dominated by lifestyle, factual entertainment and reality genres. The genre breakdown showed the FAST lineup was 23% single-IP and 64% single genre, with 59% of the FAST content falling into the reality and entertainment categories.

This data suggests that Polish audiences are responding well to unscripted formats, a trend in line with FAST consumption elsewhere. For broadcasters and rights holders, it also presents an efficient opportunity to repackage existing content libraries into lean-back, always-on channels without the cost burdens of subscription models or expensive original commissions.

Globally, the FAST channel ecosystem is still dominated by the US, but CEE countries are beginning to register channel growth. Lombardo said the US remains the frontrunner with 1,700 unique FAST channels, while the UK and Canada have more than 800 each. Poland, according to 3Vision’s data, clocked up some 96 unique FAST channels. “The US still dominates but other markets are beginning to emerge,” said Lombardo.

Monetisation strategies within FAST platforms were also dissected in the presentation. While the primary revenue stream remains advertising, 3Vision identified four core models for content owners: licensing content to aggregators based on traditional license fees; licensing content to FAST platforms, again, based on traditional license fees; and launching a FAST channel with a platform, based on a combination of license fees and ad revenue share. The fourth method, with the most risk and potential reward, is launching your own FAST channel and distributing it to third-party platforms.

The 3Vision presentation further reinforced the need for robust local partnerships. For instance, in Poland, Rakuten’s success has in part depended on alignment with local aggregators and rights holders to enable the integration of local content and targeted advertising. In turn, local broadcasters like TVN are now positioning their own FAST environments to offer competitive alternatives to foreign platforms, leveraging their deep audience understanding and content ownership.

Yet there are structural challenges. Ad-tech infrastructure in several CEE markets remains underdeveloped, particularly in enabling programmatic advertising and dynamic ad insertion, which are essential for monetising FAST at scale. Additionally, broadband and smart TV penetration, while improving, still lags behind Western standards in some areas.

Nonetheless, 3Vision indicates strong growth potential, suggesting the region is on the cusp of a major pivot if these foundational gaps are addressed. Lombardo forecast the CEE region to have AVoD revenues of US$1.1bn in 2025, rising to US$1.86bn by 2029. The FAST contribution to these figures was forecast to rise from US$176m this year to US$379m in 2029.

An important contextual advantage in the region is the mobile-first nature of media consumption. As seen in other emerging markets, this consumer behaviour aligns well with FAST platforms that prioritise rapid loading, lean-back viewing, and minimal user commitment. With increasing 4G/5G coverage and mobile device usage, there is an opportunity for CEE-specific FAST strategies that are optimised for mobile as well as smart TV environments.

In conclusion, the data shared by Lombardo at Content Warsaw conference underscores both the opportunity and the urgency for stakeholders in CEE. The FAST model is no longer just a trend; it is a dominant structural shift in how video content is packaged, distributed and monetised. With US$179bn in combined global revenue across SVoD, AVoD, FAST and TVoD now eclipsing pay TV, TV advertising and every form of music and box office revenue, it is clear where the future lies.

Poland is already offering a working blueprint for how CEE markets can adopt and adapt to FAST. For broadcasters, content producers and technology enablers in the region, now is the moment to move. Investing in local content, strengthening ad delivery infrastructure, and forming strategic distribution partnerships will be key. The channels are turning on – and after the SVoD boom of recent years, the next big content race in CEE may be free to watch.