The latest report from Media Technology Monitor (MTM) shows that more than one-fifth of online Canadians say they are watching FAST channels.

While not yet as popular as streaming content on YouTube (75%) or a subscription service like Netflix (74%), FAST channels (21%), are growing in popularity, according to MTM’s Fast Forward report, released on Dec. 3. Viewing has increased by nearly 24% since last spring. Kids are more into FAST content than are adults with 30% of two to 17-year-olds watching FAST compared to 21% of adults.

Anglophones (23%) are more likely to be watching FAST channels than are francophones (13%). Currently English language content is more widely available but the amount of French-language content available on these platforms is growing. Francophone FAST channel viewers rely more on the channels available via their smart TVs, like Samsung TV Plus and Roku Channels, than stand alone services like Pluto and Tubi. Anglophones use both types.

Linear TV and other video off-air Canadians are most likely to be watching FAST channels since they offer additional free TV choices to a group that already gets traditional TV for free via an antenna. While overall SVOD (23%) and YouTube (23%) viewers are only slightly more likely to be watching FAST channels than the average online Canadian, we do find that those who watch more content on those platforms in a typical week are more likely to watch FAST as well.

Age isn’t a huge differentiator for watching FAST channels, although 35-to-49 year-olds (24%) are slightly more likely to be watching them than younger online Canadians (19%), as well as those 65-plus (18%). For the most part, about one in five in each age group makes use of the platform. Kids have been a bit quicker to look at FAST channels than adults as content for kids is a staple of FAST services. According to MTM JR, 30% of kids aged 2 to 17 watch content on FAST channels, however usage decreases as kids age. Those two to eight years (33%) are most likely to watch FAST channels, followed by seven to 11 year-olds (31%) and 12 to 17-year-olds (26%).

MTM notes that there is higher viewing of FAST channels among those who watch news video content (26%) or sports content (26%) online. Several news outlets, including CBC/Radio-Canada and CTV have already launched news-focused FAST channels. While there may not be a lot of FAST content dedicated to sports yet, the live and scheduled nature of sporting events may lend itself well to the format.

Since FAST channels can supplement TV and SVOD content, people may be altering their spends on subscription services. That said, 28% of people surveyed say they have reduced or changed their TV subscriptions or SVOD services and that they watch FAST channels. With this additional content available for free, people may feel they have options to save some money on other video content services. Only about an eighth of those who say they cancelled their paid TV service in the past six months are watching FAST channels.

Pluto TV is currently the most popular FAST channel platform. So far, no FAST channel has emerged to be the Netflix, a service that becomes synonymous with the medium. However, a quarter of FAST channel viewers are watching via Pluto TV (24%) with 18% watching Tubi. Pluto TV has done a lot of promoting of itself via online ads as well as commercials on linear TV. Roku Channels (18%) and Samsung TV Plus (9%) also have sizeable shares of the market, but you need to have a specific device to access them.

Francophones seem to be leaning more on the device-specific FAST services than they are on Tubi or Pluto TV. It likely isn’t just the French language options available via Roku and Samsung TV Plus that drives this, although the Radio-Canada and TVA content available probably encourages usage. For example, Pluto TV has more than 100 channels but only handful are in French.

Men (23%) are more likely to watch a FAST channel than women (19%). Men and women generally are using the same FAST platforms with one exception, Samsung TV Plus, which is more popular among men.

The MTM measures Canadians’ media technology adoption and use at two points in time. In the fall, telephone interviews were conducted with 8,000 Canadians (4,000 anglophones and 4,000 francophones). To monitor changes in the media landscape over the year, a telephone survey with an independent sample of 4,000 Canadians (2,000 anglophones and 2,000 francophones) is conducted in the spring.

This story originally appeared in Media in Canada

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