Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro says company is exploring a free FAST channel product as it weighs content spending and cost cuts

Disney’s new chief executive, Josh D’Amaro, said the company is exploring the rollout of FAST channels, a free, ad-supported streaming format that would give viewers content without a subscription. Speaking on a call with analysts after Disney’s quarterly earnings, D’Amaro described the effort as a “free product for consumers” and said Disney is looking to accomplish several goals through it, “and hopefully do that efficiently.”

The remarks place FAST in the center of Disney’s near-term media strategy as executives consider how to allocate content spending and reduce costs. D’Amaro’s comments also tied the exploration to broader budget pressure that has been a recurring theme in industry earnings discussions, with Disney evaluating where it can change distribution and monetization while keeping spending under control.

The Deadline report said D’Amaro’s framing was focused on execution and efficiency rather than on adding a new paid tier. In his description, the proposed FAST offering would function as an additional distribution product for consumers, built around the expectation that Disney can pursue multiple objectives simultaneously.

While the call indicated the company is considering a FAST approach, the available reporting does not detail a specific launch date, the number of channels, or what titles would be carried. Disney also did not provide, in the portion of reporting cited, specific targets for ad load, carriage partners, or the expected financial impact of the format.

The FAST question matters for Disney because it reflects how legacy media companies are adjusting to changing viewing habits and evolving streaming economics. For audiences, FAST-style products can reduce the friction of entry by offering content without a subscription, though the tradeoff is typically an ad-supported model. For Disney’s business, the shift can change how programming costs are justified and how revenue is forecast across distribution platforms.

Disney’s cost and content spending review, as described in the earnings-related discussion, also suggests that management is looking for structural ways to manage expenditures rather than relying solely on adjusting release schedules or trimming individual projects. The direction of those decisions will become clearer as Disney moves from exploration to any announced plans with distributors and streaming platforms.

For now, the only confirmed element from the reporting is that Disney’s CEO has publicly acknowledged exploration of a free FAST product for consumers in the context of quarterly earnings communications. Any subsequent announcements would be expected to specify operational steps, including how Disney will package content, work with ad technology or partners, and integrate FAST into existing streaming and television distribution channels.