OKAST introduces FAST4EU
May 11, 2022
OKAST, the SaaS solution for publishing white-label live and VoD streaming platforms, partners with SECOM, Kinostar, and VideoElephant, to launch the FAST4EU Consortium. The goal of the Consortium is to accelerate the development of FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) in Europe and provide a technological and content approach tailored to the European market with the ability to scale internationally.
With a €1.5 million budget, co-funded under the ‘Europe Media Creative’ umbrella for 3 years, the Consortium brings together:
- OKAST, Consortium leader, introducing its latest solution ‘OKAST Channels’,
- SECOM, the French broadcaster behind the channels Museum, MyZenTV, live in 98 countries,
- Kinostar, a German content producer and distributor catering to the German, Polish and Turkish communities globally, and
- VideoElephant, an Irish content and channel aggregator producing and distributing 100+ FAST channels worldwide.
The solution ;OKAST Channels’ offers a modular cloud-based modern playout and advertisement insertion solution. Designed to fit and compliment any already existing broadcasting or OTT deployment, the solution offers a complete suite of tools and an optimised ads monetisation stack with inventory split thanks to a strategic partnership with the leading server-side-ad-insertion (SSAI) technology provider, Ad Insertion Platform. Complemented by the use of the iKast solution, specialized in the management of video consumption data and royalty calculations, the whole package offers a consolidated, transparent data adapted to this new distribution model.,
OKAST Channels then enables any company with a content library to easily build, launch, distribute and monetize FAST channels in a few days on video streaming platforms powered by FAST Channel Aggregators, Smart TV manufacturers, Telecom Operators, etc.
Consortium members already rely on the solution for their first FAST channel launches and benefit from the special attention that has been taken to address an EU-wide distribution strategy (multilingual content availability, content diversity, both in genres and in-country of origin) tailored to local and pan-regional regulations. They will ramp up their portfolio of channels to super-serve local audiences in each market with content that resonates with their values and cultures, hence showcasing the breadth of European programs available.
OKAST Channels also welcomes any content providers to access the Consortium’s extensive libraries and strong IPs should they need to supplement their programming while building their FAST channels.
Cédric Monnier, CEO of OKAST: “With this Consortium, we bring together technological, advertising, and content expertise, with the ambition to empower content providers, bringing us the best of European content, to embrace the FAST revolution with transparent, fair, and flexible revenue streams.”