USE CASE - FAST CHANNEL

Launch your own
24/7 FAST channel

Turn your library into a Pluto TV or Tubi-style FAST channel - free, ad-supported, and running around the clock on Roku, Samsung TV Plus, LG Channels and your own branded apps, with the EPG, scheduling and ad insertion built in.

Live in about 7 days EPG + XMLTV built in Server-side ad insertion Roku, Samsung, LG distribution
A 24/7 FAST channel running on a connected TV
WHY FAST

FAST is the fastest-growing corner of streaming

A FAST channel is a free, ad-supported streaming TV channel that plays a 24/7 linear schedule - like a broadcast channel, delivered over the internet and funded entirely by advertising, the model behind free services like Pluto TV and Tubi.

Double-digit growth

FAST advertising is one of the fastest-growing segments in all of streaming, projected to keep expanding at double-digit rates through the decade.

Every CTV home screen

One 24/7 stream can be distributed to Roku, Samsung TV Plus, LG Channels and other connected-TV guides - plus your own branded apps.

Zero signup friction

Viewers press play - no account, no paywall. That low friction is exactly why FAST reaches audiences a subscription service cannot.

NO-CODE FAST

Everything a linear channel needs, in one dashboard

Running a linear channel used to mean playout servers, an EPG feed and an ad-ops team. OTTEngine gives you all of it, no code: schedule your library into a 24/7 loop, publish a compliant EPG, and monetize every break with server-side ads.

  • Native apps on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Samsung, LG, iOS, and Android
  • Full white-label branding - your logo, colors, and layout, not a template
  • SVOD, AVOD (with server-side ad insertion), and TVOD - or any hybrid
  • Live streaming with RTMP ingest (OBS, Wirecast, or hardware encoders)
  • 24/7 FAST / linear channels with EPG scheduling
  • Studio-grade multi-DRM - Widevine, PlayReady, and FairPlay
  • Cross-platform analytics - views, watch time, retention, and churn
  • Automatic app-store submission and SDK / certification updates
WORKED EXAMPLE

What a FAST channel can earn - and what it takes to run one

A rough model of monthly ad revenue at three stages of growth. Revenue scales with viewers, watch time, ad load, fill rate and CPM.

StageMonthly viewersAvg watchAd min / hrFill x CPMEst. ad revenue / mo
Getting started10,0002 hrs6 min60% x $12~$1,700
Growing50,0003 hrs8 min70% x $15~$25,000
Established100,0004 hrs10 min80% x $18~$115,000

Illustrative only - your real number depends on ad demand, geography and audience. Run your own figures in the estimator below.

What you need to run a FAST channel

  • A 24/7 scheduler - loop and daypart your library so the channel never goes dark
  • An EPG / XMLTV feed - the electronic program guide every FAST platform requires
  • Server-side ad insertion - stitched ads that resist blockers and buffer cleanly
  • Ad demand + ads.txt - authorized sellers so programmatic bids fill your breaks
  • Carriage and distribution - placement in CTV guides plus your own branded apps
  • Captions and metadata - closed captions and content data for each platform
FAST Channel Revenue Estimator

Plug in your viewers, ad load and CPM to project monthly ad revenue. Try it with 50,000 monthly viewers to see a realistic range.

Open the tool →
KEY FEATURES

Built for linear streaming at scale

Your brand on the biggest screen

Full white-label design - your name, logo, color palette, and content organization. Viewers see a polished experience that reflects your brand, not a generic template.

24/7 linear and FAST channels

Schedule your library into a continuous linear stream like a traditional TV channel. The scheduling engine and EPG run it automatically, around the clock.

SVOD, AVOD, and TVOD - your way

Subscription, ad-supported, or pay-per-view - or any combination. Native billing (Roku Pay, Apple/Google IAP), pre-roll and mid-roll ads, and rentals are built in.

Live events, streamed everywhere

Broadcast live to every screen using any RTMP-compatible encoder. Multi-CDN delivery keeps it smooth for a small class or a stadium crowd.

One CMS, every platform

Manage VOD, live, and linear schedules from one unified dashboard. Update metadata, artwork, and shelves once and publish across all your apps instantly.

Analytics that drive decisions

Track views, episode performance, viewer retention, and subscription metrics with daily, monthly, and yearly reports - so you program with real data.

HOW IT WORKS

From library to live channel

Most OTTEngine clients are live within about 7 days.

1

Connect your content

Upload your video library or connect your existing storage. OTTEngine ingests, transcodes to adaptive HLS/DASH, generates thumbnails, and organizes everything automatically.

2

Build - no code

Design the experience in the no-code builder: content shelves, branding, and your monetization model, previewed in real time. No engineers, no SDKs.

3

Submit & go live

OTTEngine submits to every app store and handles certification. Most apps pass on the first review. Most clients are live within about 7 days.

MONETIZATION

How a FAST channel makes money

FAST advertising

Your 24/7 channel is funded by ads. OTTEngine stitches them server-side and connects to programmatic demand, so every break is filled without an ad-ops team.

AVOD (ad-supported)

Free to viewers; you earn from pre-roll and mid-roll ads. Server-side ad insertion delivers smooth, blocker-resistant breaks. Best for reach and for FAST channels.

Add a paid tier

Use the free channel as a top-of-funnel, then upsell viewers to an SVOD or TVOD tier for on-demand or premium content - all from one dashboard.

FAQ

FAST channel questions, answered

A FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming TV) channel is a 24/7 linear stream, like a traditional TV channel, delivered over the internet and monetized with ads instead of subscriptions. Viewers watch for free and you earn from the ad breaks.

Through advertising. OTTEngine inserts ads into your stream server-side and connects to ad demand so every break is filled. Revenue scales with your viewers, watch time, ad load, fill rate and CPM.

OTTEngine publishes your channel and its EPG to connected-TV guides and FAST aggregators, and to your own branded apps on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Samsung, LG, iOS and Android.

Yes, and OTTEngine generates it for you. Every FAST platform needs an electronic program guide; the scheduler produces a compliant XMLTV feed automatically as you build your schedule.

Less than you might think. A few dozen hours can loop into a full schedule, and the scheduler handles rotation, dayparting and filler so the channel never goes dark. You add fresh content over time to keep it engaging.

Yes. Many operators run a free FAST channel to attract an audience, then upsell viewers to an SVOD tier for premium or on-demand content. OTTEngine supports both models side by side.

Yes. A Pluto TV or Tubi-style service is a line-up of free, ad-supported 24/7 channels. OTTEngine handles the scheduling, EPG and server-side ad insertion, then distributes your channels to connected-TV guides and your own branded apps.

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EVERY MAJOR SCREEN

One catalog, published to every platform

Broadcast Network plan includes every platform - one dashboard, every screen.

GET STARTED

Ready to launch your FAST channel?

Book a demo and we will map your library to a 24/7 channel, EPG and ad setup - most operators are live within about a week.