Commentary

FAST Channels Are One Key To Maximizing Reach

by Karlene Lukovitz , November 2, 2023

Inclusion of free, ad-supported streaming/FAST channels is one of several characteristics shared by 70% of the multiscreen TV campaigns that achieve the greatest reach.

That’s according to the first-half 2023 edition of the TV Viewership Report from Effectv, Comcast Cable’s ad sales division, based on analysis of 40,000 multiscreen …

cable tv, fasts, research, streaming, television

2 comments about "FAST Channels Are One Key To Maximizing Reach".

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Ed Papazian from Media Dynamics Inc, November 2, 2023 at 2:24 p.m.
As usual, this kind of research needs some context and expalations. For example, I believe that it is based on a panel of cable subscribers---which may not be representative of the total population.Also, the data appears to be based on set usage not viewing and if so, this creates some issues in interpretation.

A basic issue is the definition of reach. If a TV set is tuned in to a show when a commercial is on -screen, the home is "reached" no matter who---if anybody---- is present, let alone looking at the screen. Typically, households with many residents---adults aged 25-55 with several children are much more likely to be heavy users of TV than those with a single resident or only two--most of whom are older adults without any children present. And, light viewing households go in the other direction--often 1-2 member homes and mostly older adult residents. But this does not mean that the residents of a heavy viewing household are, themeslves, heavy viewers. Indeed, tallies tell us that in many heavy viewing households with 3+ members, the individual adults are moderate to lighter viewers while in many light viewing homes their older residents tend to watch more TV than the norm.

In other words, a household may use its TV sets more often than the norm because so many more people reside in that home and its heavy usage reflects the combined viewing of all household members. In conrast, many light viewing homes are less frequent users of TV because they have only a single resident or, sometimes two. Yet these may watch TV far more frequently than their large family adult counterparts. Whereas the former tend to be home most ofthe day and have no child caring responsibilities, the latter---adults in heavy viewing homes with many kids or teens, often are gainfully employed outside their homes and their offspring keep them quite busy when they are home---so they have less time for TV.

My point is that set usage is a very misleading surrogate for individual viewing. Accordingly, I wouldn't go overboard in accepting these findings without verifying them froma source that measures viewing as well as set usage.
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