When a younger generation viewer sits down in front of a screen today, they don't necessarily look for a traditional TV station. They seamlessly transition between gaming content, social media videos, and streaming services. This shift in audience behavior has triggered a fundamental market transformation, in which the previously niche creator economy is becoming a key pillar of free ad-supported streaming television, known by the acronym FAST.
Linear streaming platforms are now actively competing for content originally created for social media. According to an analysis presented in the Content Everywhere section by Rafi Cohen, Video Market Tracking Manager at 3Vision, creators are no longer just an add-on, but a dominant force defining the future of television. Traditional media must adapt to this trend if they want to survive in competition with digital giants.
YouTubers and influencers have extensive content archives, making a 24/7 linear channel a perfect fit.
Low Risk and High Reward
Platform operators view FAST channels as a space with low risk and potential for high reward. The main draw is ready-made intellectual property and, crucially, an already established audience that creators bring with them. For platforms, this means an immediate influx of viewers without the need to invest millions in marketing new brands.
The economic model is built on efficiency. Creators have deep archives of videos that can be easily transformed into a linear format. Once an existing library ages, these creators have established mechanisms to produce more content very cheaply and at regular intervals. This endless content “pipeline” ensures that a channel can broadcast continuously 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The Fast Tracker analysis from 3Vision in March of this year shows how individual players have divided the market:
- Samsung TV and Pluto — These platforms dominate the lion's share of the market with creator-led channels.
- Amazon and Roku — Focus on a selective curation of the biggest hits and experimenting with new formats.
- MrBeast — An example of a creator who has become a “household name” across Samsung, Roku, and Amazon platforms.
- Dumbass Studios — An example of content available exclusively only within Samsung TV.
When Social Media Turns Into Television
The reason why creators have succeeded so quickly in the FAST EPG (electronic program guide) environment is their distinct identity. Unlike traditional television projects, which have to fight for their audience from scratch, influencers have honed their brand in the demanding environment of social videos. They have a strong identity and a loyal fan base, which is key to survival in a crowded channel offering.
YouTube's role is fundamentally changing in this context. It can no longer be seen merely as a distribution channel for random videos. It is becoming a content development strategy. According to Cohen, studios and streaming platforms are now building specialized structures focused exclusively on collaborating with creators to maximize this potential.
FAST is now clearly a natural extension of creator monetization and an integral part of format development.
“YouTubers and social media influencers have extensive content archives and a regular content pipeline, making a 24/7 linear channel a perfect fit.”
The Future of Linear Distribution
The transformation we are witnessing is not just a short-term fluctuation. Data suggests that the trend will continue and grow. The involvement of creators in distribution is no longer perceived as an afterthought or an experiment, but as an integral part of format development. For traditional media houses, this means re-evaluating how they view “amateur” productions from the internet.
A key question for the upcoming period remains how quickly other platforms can integrate these creative structures into their business models. What is certain is that the boundaries of creator dominance have shifted from mobile phone screens directly to the main television screens in living rooms, where they now compete for attention alongside traditional news and movie channels.