While the streaming wars have focused on the growth of platforms like Netflix, Max, Paramount+ and Disney+, there has also been another growing trend within the world of FAST, aka Free Add Supported Television, which offers viewers a wide selection of programming, but with ads.

Much like with traditional linear television, FAST services include commercials, either as part of an ongoing rolling channel, similar to a normal TV channel, or on-demand.

Fox has Tubi, Amazon has Freevee, Paramount has Pluto, and there are many other free platforms are out there. There has been lots of discussion about what Disney is going to do within the FAST space. Will it just license out its content to these other platforms, or turn Hulu into a FAST service?

However, it looks like Disney is taking a different route, instead using an existing platform it’s had for years, the ABC app, which has offered a selection of free programming for a while, but this past week, it made a bigger expansion of 24/7 rolling channels called “Unlocked Channels”.

These channels can be viewed without the need to sign-in and can be watched on the ABC app from your smartphone and tablet (iOS and Android), computer on ABC.com and connected devices (Roku, AppleTV and Amazon Fire TV).

The list of “Unlocked Channels” includes:

• 20/20
• ABC NEWS LIVE
• CESAR MILAN: BETTER HUMAN BETTER DOG
• ESPN8: THE OCHO
• GENERAL HOSPITAL SPOTLIGHT
• THE INCREDIBLE DR. POL
• LIFE BELOW ZERO
• LOST TREASURES
• PRESS YOUR LUCK
• SUPERNANNY
• TO CATCH A SMUGGLER
• TO TELL THE TRUTH
• TRUE CRIME STORIES
• WICKED TUNA
• LOCAL NEWS & MORE
• BAY AREA
• CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
• CHICAGO
• HOUSTON
• LOS ANGELES
• NEW YORK
• NORTH CAROLINA
• PHILADELPHIA

It’s likely that, should these Unlocked Channels become popular, they could add more in the future.    Hopefully, in the future, some of these rolling channels could be included in Hulu and Disney+, offering more choices to subscribers.

With ABC’s powerful branding in the United States, which is a free-to-air channel, viewers are much more used to commercials, so it seems like a more logical step to utilise this brand in the battle for audience share within the FAST arena. 

The expansion of the Unlocked Channels also gives cord-cutters more options to watch free local programming and much more.

Since the ABC app is free to download, have you checked out the app recently?  Let us know on social media!

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

View all posts