Ever sat down to watch your favorite show and realized you didn’t pay a cent? That’s FAST TV - Free Ad-Supported Television - and it’s not a glitch. It’s the new normal. Millions of people in New Zealand, the U.S., and beyond are ditching cable and even paid streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ in favor of free options that still deliver big-name shows, live news, and even sports. But how does it work if nothing costs money? The answer is simple: you’re not the customer. You’re the product.
What Exactly Is FAST TV?
FAST TV stands for Free Ad-Supported Television. It’s not cable. It’s not a subscription. It’s not even really TV in the old sense. It’s streaming content - live channels and on-demand shows - that you watch for free, but only if you sit through ads. Think of it like radio: you get music for free, but you hear commercials every 10 minutes. Only now, instead of hearing a jingle for a car dealership, you’re watching a 30-second ad for laundry detergent before your episode of Law & Order starts.
Platforms like Pluto TV, Tubi, The Roku Channel, and Freevee (Amazon’s version) are the big players. They offer hundreds of channels. Some are just reruns of old sitcoms. Others are live news feeds from NBC or CNN. Some even stream live sports - college basketball, wrestling, or regional hockey - without you needing a pay-TV login.
The key difference between FAST TV and paid streaming? You don’t get to skip ads. Ever. And you don’t get to choose when they show up. That’s the trade-off.
How Do These Services Make Money?
It’s not magic. It’s data and targeting. FAST TV services make money by selling ad space - not to big brands like Coca-Cola or Toyota, but to advertisers who want to reach people like you. And they know exactly who you are.
When you sign up for Pluto TV or Tubi, you’re not just giving them your email. You’re giving them your viewing habits: what you watch, when you watch it, how long you stick around, even if you skip ahead. That data gets bundled into audience profiles. An advertiser might pay to show their ad only to people over 50 who watched three episodes of NCIS last week. That’s way more valuable than blasting a generic ad to everyone.
Unlike Netflix, which spends billions on original content to keep you subscribed, FAST TV services barely spend anything on content creation. They license old shows, buy rights to public domain movies, or partner with networks that already have libraries. A show like Friends might cost Netflix $100 million a year to keep. For Tubi, it might cost $1 million to license the same show for five years - and they can run ads during every episode.
What’s the Quality Like?
You might worry: if it’s free, is it low quality? Not necessarily. Most FAST TV apps stream in 1080p HD. Some even offer 4K on supported devices. The picture quality isn’t the issue. The issue is the ads.
On average, you’ll see 5 to 8 minutes of ads per hour. That’s more than traditional cable TV. Some apps, especially on mobile, show ads even between scenes in a movie. You might be watching a tense moment in a thriller, and suddenly - boom - a 15-second ad for a payday loan company interrupts it.
But here’s the twist: some FAST TV services are getting smarter. Platforms like Freevee use AI to insert different ads for different viewers. Two people watching the same episode of Modern Family might see completely different ads - one for baby formula, another for retirement planning. That’s because the system knows you’re a 32-year-old parent versus a 68-year-old retiree.
How Do You Access FAST TV?
You don’t need a fancy box or a new TV. If you have a smart TV made in the last five years, you probably already have FAST TV built in. Look for apps called Pluto TV, Tubi, Freevee, or Xumo. They’re usually pre-installed on Samsung, LG, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV devices.
If you’re using a phone or tablet, download the app from your app store. No credit card needed. No trial period. Just open, click, and watch. You can even cast from your phone to your TV using Chromecast or AirPlay.
Some services work without even signing up. You can watch Tubi without creating an account. Others, like Freevee, ask for an Amazon login - but that’s just to track your viewing habits, not to charge you.
There’s one big advantage: no regional lockouts. Unlike Netflix, where you might need a VPN to watch shows from another country, FAST TV services usually offer the same content to everyone in your region. If you’re in Auckland, you’ll see the same ads and shows as someone in Wellington.
What Can You Actually Watch?
Don’t expect the latest season of Stranger Things. FAST TV doesn’t have exclusive originals - not yet. But it has something else: depth. A huge library of older shows and movies you can’t find anywhere else.
Here’s what you’ll actually find:
- Classic TV: Seinfeld, The Office (U.S. version), Friends, Law & Order, CSI
- Old movies: 80s and 90s action flicks, horror films, rom-coms - many in the public domain
- Live news: Local and national channels like ABC News Live, CBS News, or Bloomberg
- Reality and true crime: Maury, Dr. Phil, 48 Hours, Forensic Files
- Specialty channels: Horror movie channels, cooking shows, anime, classic cartoons
- Live sports: Minor league baseball, college football, wrestling, and even some international soccer matches
Some services even have live local channels. In the U.S., you can watch your local NBC or ABC affiliate. In New Zealand, you might get TVNZ 1 or ThreeNow - depending on your device and region.
Is FAST TV Really Free?
Technically, yes. But let’s be real. You’re paying with your attention. And your data. Every time you watch a 30-second ad, you’re giving a company valuable insight into your behavior. That data gets sold to marketers who then target you with ads on Facebook, Google, and even your smart fridge.
There’s also the hidden cost: time. If you watch 3 hours of TV a night, and you get 7 minutes of ads per hour, that’s 21 minutes of ads every day. Over a year, that’s over 120 hours - more than five full days - spent watching commercials.
But here’s the flip side: you’re saving $100 to $150 a month you’d spend on Netflix, Disney+, and Sky. If you’re on a budget, or just don’t care about new releases, FAST TV is a no-brainer.
And if ads bother you? Some apps let you reduce them. Freevee, for example, lets you turn off personalized ads in settings - though you’ll still see generic ones. Tubi has a “Premium” tier for $5 a month that cuts ads by 80%. But even then, you’re still paying less than half the price of Netflix.
Who Is FAST TV For?
It’s not for everyone. If you’re the type who waits for the next season of House of the Dragon and refuses to watch anything else, FAST TV won’t satisfy you. But if you’re okay with watching reruns, documentaries, or live news - and you hate paying monthly fees - it’s perfect.
It’s especially popular with:
- Seniors who remember watching TV the old way
- Students on tight budgets
- Families who want background TV without subscriptions
- People who don’t want to manage multiple logins
- Anyone tired of being upsold on streaming services
In New Zealand, FAST TV is growing fast. With rising living costs, more households are cutting the cord. A 2025 survey by the New Zealand Media Council found that 38% of households now use at least one FAST TV service regularly - up from 19% just two years ago.
What’s Next for FAST TV?
Big companies are betting big. Amazon bought Freevee. Roku owns Pluto TV. Apple is rumored to be launching its own FAST channel. Even traditional broadcasters like NBC and CBS are shifting their ad revenue from cable to FAST.
Soon, you might see FAST TV services offering original content - but only if they can make it cheap enough to run with ads. We’re already seeing it: Freevee’s The Terminal List started as a FAST TV exclusive before going to Amazon Prime. That’s the future: FAST TV as a testing ground for shows that might later become paid exclusives.
One thing’s clear: FAST TV isn’t a fad. It’s a new model for media. Advertisers love it because they can track results. Viewers love it because it’s free. And the companies behind it? They’re making billions.
So next time you’re flipping through channels and see a free movie with a 10-minute ad break, don’t groan. Think of it as a trade. You’re getting entertainment without a bill. And in return, you’re letting a few companies know you like detective shows and hate oat milk.
Is FAST TV legal?
Yes, FAST TV is completely legal. All the content on platforms like Pluto TV, Tubi, and Freevee is licensed from copyright holders. These services pay for the rights to stream older shows and movies, and they follow strict advertising regulations. You’re not pirating anything - you’re watching officially licensed content with ads.
Do I need a smart TV to use FAST TV?
No. You can watch FAST TV on any device with an internet connection and a web browser or app. That includes smartphones, tablets, laptops, gaming consoles like PlayStation or Xbox, and streaming sticks like Roku or Amazon Fire TV. Most modern smart TVs come with FAST TV apps already installed.
Can I watch live sports on FAST TV?
Yes, but it’s limited. You won’t find the NFL, Premier League, or All Blacks on most FAST services. But you can watch college sports, minor league baseball, wrestling (like AEW), and some international soccer matches. Channels like Stadium and FuboSports are available on platforms like Pluto TV and Freevee.
Why do ads keep repeating on FAST TV?
FAST TV services use a limited ad inventory - meaning they only have so many different ads to rotate through. If you watch the same channel often, you’ll see the same ads again and again. Some apps refresh ads every few hours, but others may repeat the same 5-10 ads daily. Turning off personalized ads might reduce repetition, but won’t eliminate it.
Is there a catch? Do these services sell my data?
Yes, they do - but so do almost all free apps. FAST TV services collect data on what you watch, how long you watch, and sometimes even your location. This data is used to target ads. You can usually opt out of personalized ads in the app settings, but you’ll still see generic ads. If you’re concerned about privacy, use a separate email and avoid linking your account to social media.
