iWorld
Fast channels surge 14 per cent this year as news and horror fuel boom
MUMBAI: Free ad-supported television (Fast) is enjoying a blistering run. The number of Fast channels worldwide has climbed nearly 14 per cent since the start of 2025 and 76 per cent since 2023, according to fresh analysis from Gracenote, the content data arm of Nielsen.
The firm has expanded its Data Hub to track nearly 1,850 active Fast channels, enabling direct comparisons with subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) catalogues from the likes of Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, Netflix and Paramount+. The enhanced tool now covers more than 645,000 TV shows, films and sports programmes across SVOD and a further 197,000 across Fast.
Fast is skewing younger than its subscription rivals. Almost half of its content has been produced in the past five years, compared with only a third for SVOD. Stretching the timeframe to 15 years, Fast jumps to nearly 80 per cent of programming, versus 68.5 per cent for SVOD.
Television dominates both formats, but especially Fast: 93.1 per cent of its content comprises TV programming by episode count, compared with 88.8 per cent on SVOD platforms.
Genre trends are diverging. Documentaries make up the largest Fast slice at 16.1 per cent, followed by drama (10.6 per cent) and news (9.9 per cent). Yet it is news and horror that are powering growth, up 37 per cent and 30 per cent respectively. On SVOD, sports led the charge in the past quarter with a 13.2 per cent bump, ahead of films (10 per cent) and TV (9.2 per cent). Sports on Fast dipped 3.7 per cent in the last three months but remain up 14 per cent year to date.
Among the big streamers, Amazon bulked up most aggressively, expanding its catalogue by 12.6 per cent quarter on quarter. Paramount+ followed with a 6.4 per cent increase. Overall, SVOD offerings grew 9.8 per cent in the same period.
Gracenote, which covers video content in more than 70 languages and 80 countries, is pitching its Data Hub as a strategic compass for distributors, producers and advertisers eager to map where audiences are headed.
iWorld
Prime Video unveils biggest India originals slate yet
Nearly 55 titles across languages signal deeper push into films, series
MUMBAI: Prime Video is turning up the volume on Indian storytelling, unveiling its largest-ever Originals slate at the ‘Prime Video Presents’ showcase, with close to 55 series and films spanning languages, genres and formats.
The new lineup, which stretches across Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, signals a clear intent: go bigger, go wider, and meet audiences wherever they are watching, whether on streaming screens or in cinemas. Alongside Originals, the platform also announced a fresh theatrical slate under Amazon MGM Studios, marking a deeper step into the big-screen business.
Among the headline acts is The Revolutionaries, a large-scale drama from Nikkhil Advani starring Bhuvan Bam and Rohit Saraf. The slate also features Matka King with Vijay Varma, Raakh starring Ali Fazal and Sonali Bendre, and Lukkhe, which marks rapper King’s acting debut. Adding a genre twist is Vansh – The Kalyug Warriors, positioned as India’s first homegrown Hindi superhero series for streaming.
Familiar favourites are also making a return, with new seasons of Farzi, Panchayat, Call Me Bae, Dupahiya, Dahaad and The Traitors in the pipeline, reinforcing the platform’s bet on established franchises.
Regional storytelling gets a notable push. Highlights include a Telugu adaptation of The Traitors hosted by Teja Sajja, the drama Guvvala Cheruvu Ghat, and Tamil titles such as Exam and returning seasons of Vadhandhi and Inspector Rishi.
The slate also opens new creative partnerships. Hrithik Roshan’s HRX Films steps into streaming with Storm and Mess, while Alia Bhatt’s Eternal Sunshine Productions backs Don’t Be Shy. Production houses including Excel Entertainment, Tiger Baby Films and The Viral Fever further deepen the creative bench.
On the theatrical front, the platform is lining up five films, including Raftaar starring Rajkummar Rao and Keerthy Suresh, VIBE directed by Kunal Kemmu, Dilkashi with music by A. R. Rahman, Nayyi Navelli featuring Yami Gautam, and Kuku Ki Kundli starring Wamiqa Gabbi.
According to Prime Video India director and head of Svod business Shilangi Mukherji, India remains central to the platform’s global growth, ranking among its top markets for new subscribers. She noted that nearly two-thirds of users watch content in more than four languages, underlining a growing appetite for diverse storytelling.
Prime Video India director and head of originals Nikhil Madhok, said the new slate reflects a continued push towards bold, culturally rooted narratives with global appeal.
In short, Prime Video is not just adding titles, it is widening the lens. From small-town dramas to superhero sagas and cinema-ready spectacles, the message is simple: more stories, more voices, and far more ways to watch them.
