Lionsgate hands FreeWheel exclusive control of its FAST channel advertising

Lionsgate selected FreeWheel as its exclusive ad-serving partner across nearly 30 U.S. FAST channels on December 18, 2025, according to the announcement. The partnership provides media buyers with streamlined access to Lionsgate's premium streaming inventory through the FreeWheel SSP, enabling both direct purchases and programmatic transactions via curated packages.

The studio operates over 40 channels globally, drawing from franchises including John Wick, The Hunger Games, Twilight, The Conners and Nash Bridges. Its U.S. portfolio includes MovieSphere, the only Nielsen-rated FAST channel, and 50 Cent Action, developed in collaboration with the entertainment figure.

Chase Brisbin, EVP of International SVOD Sales and Head of Global Channels at Lionsgate, described the selection as straightforward. "It was an easy decision to choose FreeWheel, a leader in the space, as our exclusive technology partner across our ad-supported FAST business," Brisbin stated in the announcement. The integration aims to make Lionsgate's channels more accessible to advertisers seeking culturally relevant content to pair with brands.

The exclusive arrangement consolidates decision-making on advertising across Lionsgate's branded U.S. FAST channels under FreeWheel's infrastructure. Greg Bell, Vice President of Supply at FreeWheel, emphasized the operational benefits. "By unifying ad-serving and unlocking streamlined access in the FreeWheel SSP, we're helping Lionsgate maximize yield while giving buyers a consolidated, frictionless path to premium, brand-safe streaming environments," Bell stated.

FAST viewership reaches 43 percent of streaming audiences

FAST channels have captured significant audience attention, with 43 percent of viewers watching ad-supported free streaming according to FreeWheel's recent research. The report indicates 87 percent of FAST reach proves incremental to traditional TV campaigns, creating advertising opportunities beyond conventional television buys.

Advertiser response demonstrates commitment to the format. Fifty-three percent of advertisers plan to allocate budget to FAST within the next six months, according to the FreeWheel data. This planning activity occurs as Connected TV advertising spending approaches $33.35 billion in 2025, driven by enhanced targeting capabilities and improved measurement across streaming platforms.

The partnership positions Lionsgate's inventory within FreeWheel's established marketplace infrastructure. Programmatic buyers can access Lionsgate content, including the 50 Cent Action Channel, through the FreeWheel SSP with full support for audience targeting, transparent supply paths, and premium video formats.

Holmes Media provided advisory services to Lionsgate throughout the negotiation process, according to the announcement.

FreeWheel consolidates premium streaming infrastructure

FreeWheel operates what it characterizes as the world's largest premium Connected TV marketplace through its supply-side platform. The company unified its CTV product ecosystem with new suite names in April 2025, organizing offerings into Publisher Suite and Advertiser Suite configurations designed to streamline connections between buyers and sellers.

The Publisher Suite includes FreeWheel Streaming Hub and FreeWheel SSP. Streaming Hub, formerly known as "MRM" or "TV Platform," functions as a full-stack supply-side solution for video ad management and monetization through intelligent ad decisioning and integrated SSP capabilities.

FreeWheel SSP, built upon the company's acquisition of StickyAds and evolution of SFX technology, serves as the platform's primary marketplace for premium CTV transactions. The company expanded its premium CTV marketplace partnerships with eight streaming platforms in June 2025, including Fubo, LG Ads, Philo, Plex, TCL Ads, Telly, and Wurl.

The Advertiser Suite offers media buyers tools for CTV campaign management through three components: FreeWheel Curation Hub, FreeWheel DSP, and FreeWheel Buyer Cloud. The Curation Hub provides agencies with tools to manage CTV supply portfolios, curate and activate deals, and track commitments with enhanced insight and flexibility.

FreeWheel DSP, formerly the Beeswax DSP following the January 2021 acquisition, focuses on performance-driven programmatic buying with access to premium TV inventory. The platform incorporates built-in optimization and advanced identity capabilities for precise audience targeting.

Studio content library drives channel strategy

Lionsgate's position as one of the world's leading standalone content companies provides the foundation for its FAST channel expansion. The studio's library exceeds 20,000 film and television titles, encompassing commercially successful franchises distributed across various platforms.

The Hunger Games franchise represents Lionsgate's highest-grossing property domestically. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire generated $424.7 million at the North American box office in 2013, according to the Wikipedia documentation. The original Hunger Games film earned $408 million domestically in 2012.

Twilight franchise films, distributed by Summit Entertainment prior to Lionsgate's acquisition of that studio in January 2012, contributed substantial revenue. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 generated $848.6 million globally in 2012. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 earned $712.2 million worldwide in 2011.

John Wick has emerged as Lionsgate's most successful recent action franchise. John Wick: Chapter 4 generated $187.1 million domestically and $440.2 million worldwide in 2023. John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum earned $171 million at the North American box office and $328.3 million globally in 2019.

The studio's film portfolio includes diverse properties beyond franchises. Knives Out earned $165.4 million domestically and $312.9 million worldwide in 2019. La La Land generated $151.1 million at the North American box office and $472 million globally in 2016. Wonder produced $132.4 million domestically and $315 million worldwide in 2017.

Lionsgate's acquisition of Entertainment One in December 2023 expanded the studio's content library and production capabilities. The transaction closed prior to the Spring 2024 spin-off of Lionsgate's film and studio businesses into the newly formed Lionsgate Studios.

The studio maintains production relationships across multiple genres and budget scales. Historical releases include American Psycho in 2000, which began Lionsgate's trend of producing films considered too controversial for major studios. The Saw franchise, initiated in 2004, spans 10 films. The Expendables franchise delivered three installments between 2010 and 2014.

Programmatic access creates efficiency opportunities

The exclusive FreeWheel partnership establishes standardized access to Lionsgate inventory for programmatic buyers. The technical implementation spans multiple streaming delivery methods, from FAST services to premium subscription platforms with advertising tiers.

FreeWheel's approach addresses programmatic advertising complexity through standardized data signals and optimized bidding mechanisms. The platform architecture incorporates customization features designed to simplify advertiser access across fragmented streaming inventory sources.

FreeWheel's Buyer Cloud technology powers campaign execution and management, providing what Comcast Advertising describes as optimal campaign execution and management to access audiences beyond traditional programmatic execution. The solution provides access to more than 11 billion monthly impressions on premium linear inventory across Comcast properties.

The technical infrastructure reflects broader industry consolidation around unified advertising platforms. Seven major video ad servers compete for dominance in the 2025 CTV marketplace, including Google Ad Manager, FreeWheel's Streaming Hub, Publica by IAS, SpringServe by Magnite, Adtelligent, Aniview, and Project Limelight.

Premium inventory definition has evolved to emphasize transparency, quality, and brand safety. The FreeWheel Council for Premium Video and Video Advertising Bureau introduced standards for premium TV advertising in 2023, outlining key factors buyers and sellers should consider when engaging in video transactions.

Streaming advertising measurement advances

The Lionsgate partnership occurs amid significant developments in streaming advertising measurement capabilities. Index Exchange implemented duration-based reporting for streaming TV advertisements in September 2025, addressing fundamental limitations in legacy programmatic metrics that treat all impression opportunities equally regardless of time duration.

Duration-based calculation methodology tracks total advertisement time rather than individual slot counts. A 30-second impression opportunity provides significantly more advertiser value than a 6-second placement, yet current industry metrics measure both identically.

Magnite launched Live Scheduler on November 18, 2025, establishing a standardized framework for how media owners and advertisers transact on live streaming content. The solution addresses operational challenges that have complicated live event monetization across fragmented streaming environments.

Attention measurement has gained prominence as an alternative to impression counting. Kargo CTV campaigns achieved 78 percent higher attention than industry standards in August 2025 analysis by TVision. Fifteen-second advertisements delivered 50 percent higher eye-on-screen effectiveness than standard CTV benchmarks, while 30-second formats achieved 74 percent superior performance compared to industry standards.

Healthcare and retail sectors expand FAST investment

Specific advertiser verticals demonstrate accelerated FAST channel adoption. DeepIntent launched a FAST solution for healthcare streaming ads in August 2025, designed specifically for healthcare advertisers seeking verified patients and healthcare providers across premium streaming platforms.

According to EMARKETER data referenced in the DeepIntent announcement, FAST represents one of the fastest-growing channels in streaming television, with time spent projected to increase twice as rapidly as over-the-top viewing in 2025. This growth trajectory aligns with broader shifts in healthcare marketing, where Connected TV advertising media budget allocation is projected to double from 14 percent in 2023 to 28 percent in 2025.

Retail media and CTV are converging rapidly, according to IAB Europe analysis published in November 2025. Retail media advertising spend on connected television is projected to grow three times faster than retail media search, signaling a substantial shift toward video-based commerce advertising.

Commerce signal targeting enables brands to leverage first-party data including purchase history and browsing behavior for personalized advertisements in CTV environments. This targeting approach connects retail transaction insights with streaming inventory at scale.

Platform competition intensifies for advertising revenue

Major technology platforms continue expanding streaming advertising capabilities. Amazon Creative Agent added TV capabilities at unBoxed 2025 on November 11, expanding the agentic AI tool to support Streaming TV and Sponsored TV advertising formats.

Amazon reported $15.7 billion in advertising services revenue for Q2 2025, a 22 percent year-over-year increase significantly outpacing overall revenue growth of 13 percent. CEO Andy Jassy emphasized during the July 31 earnings call that the platform helps advertisers reach an average ad-supported audience exceeding 300 million across owned properties in the United States.

Microsoft launched Premium Streaming campaigns in August 2025, enabling advertisers to place broadcast-quality video advertisements across premium streaming services including Netflix, Roku, Paramount, LG, Samsung, and Rakuten. The campaign type utilizes CPCV bidding, optimizing for completed video views rather than impressions or clicks.

Hardware manufacturers have entered the advertising competition. HP launched an advertising business targeting laptop users with on-device campaigns and a streaming service in July 2025, claiming access to 160 million monthly U.S. users across 19 million devices.

Alternative distribution models emerge

Streaming platforms continue experimenting with aggregation and distribution approaches. Fubo Channel Store launched with direct-to-consumer streaming plans in November 2025, offering subscribers standalone plans with automatic access to Fubo Free, a collection of nearly 200 FAST channels.

The integration of FAST channels alongside premium subscriptions establishes a dual monetization model. Premium subscribers pay direct fees for content access, while bundled FAST channels generate advertising revenue streams.

UK broadcasters Sky, Channel 4 and ITV announced plans in June 2025 to launch a unified self-service television advertising marketplace in 2026, powered by Comcast Advertising's Universal Ads platform and FreeWheel's technology. The collaboration aims to address the longstanding barrier preventing smaller advertisers from accessing television advertising due to complexity and minimum spending requirements.

Innovative ad formats expand engagement opportunities

Magnite rolled out pause ads for streaming TV with DIRECTV and Fubo in August 2025. The advertisement format appears when viewers pause content, creating engagement opportunities during natural viewing interruptions.

Mike Laband, Group SVP, US Revenue at Magnite, emphasized the non-disruptive nature of pause advertising. "Pause Ads create a new class of high-value ad inventory without disrupting the viewer experience," Laband stated. The format builds on momentum from Magnite's existing Home Screen and Tiles ad solutions to meet growing demand for performance-driven advertising experiences.

Rose McGovern, Head of Programmatic at DIRECTV Advertising, highlighted the unique engagement potential. "When someone hits the pause button, they are directly engaging with what they're watching, making pause ads a unique, non-disruptive opportunity for brands to reach people at a moment of peak interest," McGovern explained.

Market implications for advertisers

The Lionsgate-FreeWheel partnership demonstrates the ongoing consolidation of streaming advertising infrastructure around specialized technology platforms. Studios with substantial content libraries increasingly select exclusive partnerships to simplify advertiser access while maximizing monetization efficiency.

For marketing professionals managing Connected TV budgets, the partnership creates a single access point to Lionsgate's diverse content portfolio. Programmatic buyers gain standardized access to inventory spanning action franchises, young adult properties, family content, and demographic-specific channels.

The exclusive arrangement reflects broader industry recognition that fragmented advertising technology creates operational inefficiencies for both buyers and sellers. By consolidating ad serving under FreeWheel's infrastructure, Lionsgate reduces the complexity advertisers face when attempting to build comprehensive streaming campaigns across multiple platforms.

The 53 percent of advertisers planning FAST budget allocation within six months face simplified decision-making when accessing Lionsgate inventory. Rather than negotiating separate agreements across individual channels or distribution platforms, programmatic buyers can activate campaigns through established FreeWheel relationships.

Brand safety considerations factor prominently in premium inventory selection. Lionsgate's content portfolio spans established franchises with known audience demographics, providing advertisers with predictable contexts for brand messaging. The FreeWheel SSP incorporates verification and measurement capabilities designed to ensure transparent supply paths and brand-safe placements.

Technical implementation details

The partnership utilizes FreeWheel's server-side ad insertion technology to deliver advertisements within streaming content. This approach differs from client-side insertion methods by processing ad decisions on server infrastructure before content delivery to end-user devices.

Server-side implementation provides advantages including reduced buffering, improved user experience, and enhanced ad blocker resistance. The technology enables dynamic ad pod construction based on real-time bidding outcomes and audience targeting parameters.

FreeWheel's infrastructure supports multiple advertisement durations and formats within individual ad breaks. A 90-second ad pod can accommodate various combinations: two 15-second slots plus one 60-second placement, three 30-second advertisements, or one 90-second creative unit.

The platform's decisioning engine evaluates competing bid requests against publisher-defined floor prices and yield optimization algorithms. This automated selection process determines which advertisements fill available inventory based on revenue potential and targeting alignment.

Audience targeting capabilities extend beyond basic demographic parameters. The FreeWheel SSP supports behavioral targeting based on viewing history, contextual targeting aligned with content genres, and geographic targeting for localized campaigns.

Frequency management tools enable advertisers to limit ad exposure per user across hourly, daily, and weekly intervals. These controls prevent overexposure while optimizing campaign performance across extended time periods.

Future developments

The exclusive partnership establishes FreeWheel as Lionsgate's primary advertising technology provider for U.S. FAST operations. This arrangement positions both companies to develop integrated product enhancements specifically optimized for Lionsgate's content and audience characteristics.

Potential developments could include custom audience packages aligned with Lionsgate franchise affinities, specialized measurement capabilities for serialized content performance, and enhanced creative optimization based on content-specific engagement patterns.

The partnership's success may influence other content companies' technology partnership strategies. Studios observing improved monetization and simplified operations through exclusive arrangements could pursue similar consolidation approaches with preferred advertising platforms.

FreeWheel's continued expansion of publisher partnerships strengthens its position as a central marketplace for premium streaming inventory. The platform's ability to aggregate diverse content sources under unified buying interfaces creates network effects that benefit both buyers seeking comprehensive reach and sellers seeking concentrated demand.

Timeline

• June 15, 1962: Lionsgate founded as Cinépix in Montreal by John Dunning and Andre Link
• January 13, 1998: Company renamed Lions Gate Films following 1997 acquisition by Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation
• January 13, 2012: Lionsgate acquired Summit Entertainment for $412.5 million, gaining Twilight and Step Up franchises
• March 23, 2012: The Hunger Games grossed $68.3 million opening day, becoming Lionsgate's highest-grossing film
• December 2023: Lionsgate closed acquisition of Entertainment One
• Spring 2024: Lionsgate's film and studio businesses spun off into newly formed Lionsgate Studios
• April 29, 2025: FreeWheel unified its CTV product ecosystem with new suite names
• June 11, 2025: FreeWheel expanded premium CTV marketplace partnerships with eight streaming platforms
• August 2025: FAST viewing projected to increase twice as rapidly as OTT viewing
• November 2025: CTV budget allocation doubled from 14% in 2023 to 28%
• December 18, 2025: Lionsgate partnered exclusively with FreeWheel for U.S. FAST channel ad serving

Summary

Who: Lionsgate Studios, one of the world's leading standalone content companies operating over 40 FAST channels globally, selected FreeWheel, a Comcast-owned global television advertising technology platform, as its exclusive ad-serving partner. Chase Brisbin serves as EVP of International SVOD Sales and Head of Global Channels at Lionsgate. Greg Bell functions as Vice President of Supply at FreeWheel. Holmes Media provided advisory services during negotiations.

What: An exclusive partnership granting FreeWheel sole ad-serving rights across Lionsgate's nearly 30 U.S. FAST channels, including MovieSphere (the only Nielsen-rated FAST channel) and 50 Cent Action. The arrangement enables media buyers to access Lionsgate's premium streaming inventory through the FreeWheel SSP for both direct purchases and programmatic transactions via curated packages. The partnership consolidates advertising decision-making under FreeWheel's infrastructure, replacing what was presumably a multi-platform or fragmented approach.

When: The announcement occurred on December 18, 2025, at 9:04 AM Eastern Standard Time. Implementation provides immediate access to Lionsgate inventory through FreeWheel's existing marketplace infrastructure. The partnership builds on FreeWheel's April 2025 product suite reorganization and June 2025 expansion of premium CTV marketplace partnerships with eight streaming platforms.

Where: The partnership covers Lionsgate's U.S. FAST channel portfolio specifically, while the company operates more than 40 channels globally. FreeWheel maintains offices in New York, Chicago, London, Paris, Beijing, and other global locations. Lionsgate Studios is headquartered in Santa Monica, California. Distribution occurs across multiple streaming platforms where Lionsgate channels are available to viewers.

Why: The partnership addresses market fragmentation in FAST advertising by providing unified access to Lionsgate content through a single technology platform. With 43 percent of viewers watching FAST and 87 percent of FAST reach proving incremental to traditional TV campaigns, according to FreeWheel research, the format represents significant growth opportunity. Fifty-three percent of advertisers plan FAST budget allocation within six months. The exclusive arrangement simplifies operations for Lionsgate while maximizing yield, and provides buyers with consolidated access to premium, brand-safe streaming environments as Connected TV advertising spending approaches $33.35 billion in 2025.