They are called Pluto, Rakuten, Roku … hundreds of channels visible via the web on connected televisions. The advantages? They are free and with their “old -fashioned” schedules free us from the eternal dilemma of what to choose (so much so that we don’t look at anything)
There is a treasure hidden in your Smart TV, an almost unlimited offer of channels that satisfy every desire, from author’s films to soap opera, from cuisine to sport. And the best part? It’s all for free. Welcome to the world of Fast (televisions connected to the network that offer free programs in exchange for advertising), a phenomenon that is revolutionizing domestic entertainment, proposing itself as a third way between traditional TV and paid streaming giants such as Netflix or Disney+. Unlike the latter, which require monthly or annual subscriptions, Fast offer completely free programming, thanks to the economic support of the advertisements.
But what exactly are these Fast? These are television channels broadcast via the Internet, which offer linear programming, or a fixed schedule that flows over time just like in the channels of classical TV. The user does not have to choose what to see, but tunes on a channel and looks at what is transmitted at that moment, exactly as it happened before the advent of the internet.
The entire model is incurred by advertising revenues, so there is no cost for the viewer. You sit, turn on TV, choose a channel and look. No choice of choice, no waste of time in evaluating whether that film deserves or not. And this simplicity is conquering millions of people.
Guido Firmatti, Operational Director of Persidera and CEO of Persidele Media, confirms this trend. The company deals with accompanying publishers to digital terrestrial and the Fast world, also supporting them in the creation of channels from scratch. “There are studies,” explains Formatti, “who show how users spend too much time looking for what to see, with the risk of not looking at anything. For this reason, the linear channels, with ready -made schedules, are more relaxing and are rediscovered by increasingly large bands of the public ».
According to Fermetti, the success of the Fast is also based on their ability to intercept both the young audience, which discovers these channels directly from the home page of their Smart TV, and those looking for specific content. “The vertical channels work more: those who only transmit soap, Totò films, golf or red shrimp content”. While for the more adult audience, the Fast world allows you to find old programs and try a little cathodic nostalgia. In the United States, this type of TV is already a consolidated reality.
Platforms like Pluto, Tubes and The Roku Channel have conquered a stable place in the daily habits of American spectators. According to recent statistics, more than sixty percent of the population uses them regularly. In Europe, the phenomenon is following the same path, even if with some delay compared to the US market.
According to the data provided by State, today there are already over 1,200 Fast channels active in the continent. Germany leads the ranking with a significant presence of platforms and channels (Pluto TV offers almost 200 channels), followed by the United Kingdom, where Samsung TV Plus offers 167 channels. Also in Italy the sector is growing significantly, while still finding itself in an initial phase compared to other European countries. In Italy, some of the main protagonists of this new market are names already known internationally. Samsung TV Plus, for example, is pre -installed on all the Coreo brand smart TVs. He currently offers over 130 free channels, including: Gambero Rosso, dedicated to lovers of gastronomy and Italian cuisine; Urania News, an All-News channel focused on economics and businesses; Motorò, designed for those who love vintage cars and motorcycles; Golf Television, entirely dedicated to this sport; In addition to dozens of cinema channels, TV series, documentaries and international news such as Euronews and Sky News. Pluto TV, which is part of the Paramount group, is another central actor of the local market. It offers more than 100 channels, flanked by a catalog of your choice with over nine thousand hours of content. The offer ranges from classic series such as carabinieri, Baywatch and Star Trek, to films divided by gender, from cult to horror, with homage to Italian icons such as Totò and Alberto Sordi. There is no shortage of crime channels, dedicated to crime and judicial documentaries, as well as the children’s content (the Smurfs, Winx Clubs, Ninja turtles) and cult reality. But this world is not only reserved for great giants. Its agile and flexible nature also allows new publishers to come into play and experiment.
An all -Italian example is Urania News, the first channel of news born from an initiative of the Utopia publishing group, led by Giampiero Zurlo, 41 years old, the youngest Italian television publisher. Initially launched on digital terrestrial in 2024, Urania News landed in record time also in the Fast scene. “Our goal,” says Zurlo, “it’s talking about economics and institutions clearly, accessible, not screamed. A formula that proved to be a winner ». The success was such that Persidera has reported Urania as a better case, and Samsung TV Plus has decided to include it in its offer. Today, together with La7, it is the only only Italian news channel on the platform. With about 400 thousand unique users per week only on Samsung TV Plus, to which the digital terrestrial audience and that of Rakutten TV is added, Urania News represents the concrete demonstration that even in a crowded market there is room for quality and original content.
