By Sampath Mallidi, CEO of Revidd · Last updated October 19, 2026
To launch a FAST channel, clear the rights to run your content on a free, ad-supported linear channel, build a 24/7 schedule and program guide (EPG) in a playout system, mark ad breaks with SCTE-35 for your ad partners, and output the channel as an HLS stream. Then run it in your own apps, apply for carriage on services such as Samsung TV Plus, or both.
TL;DR: Clear FAST rights first, then gather enough hours (Wurl says a 24/7 channel typically needs at least 200), pick a focused theme, build the schedule and EPG in a playout tool, add SCTE-35 markers for your ad partners, and choose where the channel plays. The build takes days to weeks. Carriage on Samsung TV Plus, The Roku Channel or Pluto TV is a separate deal that takes longer.
A FAST channel is a free ad-supported streaming TV channel. It runs a linear, scheduled lineup like traditional television, plays on connected TV platforms like Roku, Samsung TV Plus, and Pluto TV, and makes money from advertising rather than subscriptions. If you want the full primer first, read what a FAST channel is and how FAST compares to traditional OTT. Launching one takes five things in order: licensed content, a playout system, a program schedule with an EPG, SCTE-35 ad markers with an ad partner to fill them, and a place for the channel to play: your own apps, third-party FAST services, or both.
Here is how each step works and where broadcasters get stuck.
What Do You Need Before You Launch a FAST Channel?
You need three things confirmed before any technical work begins: enough content, the right to use that content on FAST, and a clear channel theme.
Enough content. A FAST channel runs around the clock. Wurl, for example, says a FAST channel typically needs at least 200 hours of video content to support a 24/7 schedule. With less, the schedule repeats so often that viewers drop off. You do not need thousands of hours to start, but a channel that loops the same six hours four times a day will not hold an audience.
FAST distribution rights. This is the step broadcasters miss. The right to stream a title on your own VOD service is not automatically the right to run it on a FAST channel distributed through Roku or Samsung. Many licensing agreements treat linear FAST distribution as a separate grant. Before you schedule a single title, confirm in writing that every piece of content is cleared for FAST distribution on third-party platforms. Skipping this creates legal exposure after launch, which is far more expensive than checking up front.
A focused theme. FAST channels succeed when they are specific. A channel built around classic sports, regional news in one language, faith programming, or a single genre is easier for a platform to slot into its guide and easier for a viewer to understand. A generic "best of our library" channel competes with everything and stands out against nothing. Our FAST channel content strategy guide goes deeper on theming and programming your library, and if you are weighing one channel against several, see how many FAST channels to launch.
What Software Do You Need to Launch a FAST Channel?
To launch a FAST channel, you need software for six jobs: a media library, a playout scheduler that builds the 24/7 timeline and EPG, SCTE-35 ad markers, an ad partner to fill the breaks, an HLS stream output, and apps or services where viewers watch. Some platforms cover most of these in one place. Others sell playout, ad insertion and distribution separately.
Revidd is one of the platforms that keeps the channel side in one place. The table shows which job each part of the stack does and where Revidd stops.
Component | What it does | In Revidd? |
|---|---|---|
Media library | Stores titles, episodes, artwork, descriptions and rights windows | Yes: media library with geo controls |
Playout scheduler | Turns files, playlists and live streams into a 24/7 timeline | Yes: drag-and-drop FAST Program Manager |
EPG | Publishes what is on now and next to viewers and platforms | Yes: EPG generated from the schedule |
Ad break markers | Marks where each break starts and how long it runs | Yes: SCTE-35 markers for your ad partners, plus an Ad Filler Playlist |
Ad server and demand | Fills the breaks, usually with server-side ad insertion | Through your ad partners |
Backup content | Plays something if a scheduled file fails | Yes: Rescue Playlist |
Stream output | Delivers the channel in the format TV platforms ingest | Yes: auto-generated HLS URL |
Viewer apps | Puts the channel on TVs and phones | Yes: branded apps on Roku, Samsung, LG, Vizio, Apple TV, Fire TV and Android TV, in as little as 1 to 2 weeks plus app store review |
Third-party distribution | Delivers and onboards the channel on Samsung TV Plus, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel and others | No. Use a deal with each service or a specialist such as Amagi or Wurl |
Other playout options include Amagi CLOUDPORT, Zype Playout and Muvi Playout. If third-party carriage is your main goal, a distribution specialist such as Amagi or Wurl is the better fit, because Revidd does not provide managed carriage. To size the budget for each line, see what it costs to launch a FAST channel.
How Do You Set Up the Channel Schedule and EPG?
You build a linear schedule using a playout system, and you publish an Electronic Program Guide so viewers and platforms know what is on.
A FAST channel is not a pile of on-demand videos. It is a programmed broadcast. A playout system takes your content files and arranges them into a continuous 24-hour stream on a schedule you control. The schedule then feeds an EPG, the on-screen guide that shows what is playing now and what is coming up, exactly like a cable guide.
Good playout tooling lets you build the schedule by dragging programs into time slots rather than hand-coding playlists. For the scheduling craft itself, see our walkthrough on how to program a FAST channel. Revidd's FAST product includes a drag-and-drop Program Manager for exactly this. You schedule from three source types, media clips, reusable playlists, and live streams, and you build the day on an hourly timeline. The scheduler shows Channel Time, UTC Time, and Browser Time side by side, which is the detail that prevents the most common FAST mistake: scheduling a slot in the wrong timezone and putting dead air on the channel. Other controls that matter in practice are Auto Schedule to fill empty slots and Copy Schedule to duplicate a programmed day to another date instead of rebuilding it.
Two more settings cover failures. A Rescue Playlist plays backup content if a scheduled file fails or is missing. An Ad Filler Playlist plays during ad breaks when there is no ad to serve. The output is a standard auto-generated HLS URL, which is what connected TV platforms expect to ingest. You can see the full FAST feature set on the FAST channels platform page.
The schedule is also where you plan your ad breaks, which the next step covers.
How Do Ad Breaks and Ad Partners Work on a FAST Channel?
Ad breaks are marked in the stream with a standard called SCTE-35, and your ad partner fills them, most commonly with server-side ad insertion (SSAI).
SCTE-35 is the broadcast standard for marking where an ad break goes in a video stream. When your playout system inserts SCTE-35 markers at the right points, an ad system can fill those breaks with targeted advertising. SSAI stitches the ads directly into the video stream on the server side, which produces a smoother viewing experience and is harder for ad blockers to skip than client-side insertion.
In Revidd's channel settings you enable SCTE, set an ad break duration in seconds, and use Insert Ad Breaks to auto-add breaks at configured times rather than placing every one by hand. The stream then carries SCTE-35 markers for your ad partners, and the ad server and demand sources are the ones you choose. B4Media UK runs worldwide live sports OTT on Revidd, with pay-per-view on the same platform.
For revenue, your channel connects to ad marketplaces and demand sources. Connected TV ad spend has been growing for years as budgets follow audiences from cable to streaming, a shift tracked by industry analysts such as the Interactive Advertising Bureau. A FAST channel with a clear theme and a defined audience is easier to sell against than an undifferentiated one, which is another reason the theme decision in step one matters. For the full picture on how channels earn, see our breakdown of FAST channel revenue and monetization.
Confirm that your platform supports SCTE-35 markers and works with the ad partners you plan to use. Without proper ad marker support, you cannot monetize the channel, which defeats the purpose.
How Do You Get a FAST Channel Onto Roku and Samsung?
Distribution is a business process, not a technical one. You apply to each platform, and the platform decides whether to carry your channel.
This is the single most misunderstood part of launching FAST. You do not simply "publish" to Roku, Samsung TV Plus, or Pluto TV the way you upload a video to YouTube. Each of these platforms curates the channels in its guide. Our guide to FAST channel distribution on Samsung, Pluto, and Roku breaks down how carriage works platform by platform. You enter into a distribution arrangement, usually involving a revenue share on the advertising the channel generates, and the platform decides whether and where to place your channel.
What platforms look for: a professional, consistently programmed channel, cleared content, reliable technical delivery, and a theme that fills a gap in their lineup. A channel that delivers a clean HLS stream with proper metadata and EPG data is far easier to onboard than one that does not.
This is where a distribution specialist helps. A company such as Amagi or Wurl already delivers channels to these services and knows each one's technical requirements, which can shorten the path from finished channel to carriage. Wurl, for example, says its Global FAST Pass delivers channels to 50+ streaming platforms, including Roku, Samsung TV Plus, LG Channels and Vizio, but that it does not negotiate the distribution agreements itself. Building the channel is the part you control. Getting carried is a deal, and going in with a stable feed makes that conversation easier to start.
Revidd handles the build. Carriage on third-party FAST services is a separate deal with each service or with a distribution specialist such as Amagi or Wurl. Book a demo to see your library as a FAST channel inside your own apps.
How Long Does It Take to Launch a FAST Channel?
The channel itself can be built in days to a few weeks. Getting it distributed and earning revenue takes longer.
Timelines vary by vendor. FAST Channels TV says a launch "can take 90-120 days" but that its automated process can have a channel live "in a matter of days." Insight TV, a FAST channel operator, says to plan "roughly twelve to sixteen weeks" from signed strategy to a live channel. The technical build can move quickly with the right platform: load content, schedule it, configure ad markers, generate the stream. With Revidd, branded native apps can be delivered in as little as one to two weeks, though third-party app-store review on each device adds time beyond that and is outside any vendor's control. What a fast-build claim leaves out is the distribution timeline. Securing carriage, completing each service's onboarding, and ramping ad revenue takes months, not days, after the channel is technically ready.
A realistic expectation: the channel is built in weeks, and carriage and revenue follow over months. Plan your content and your budget around the full timeline, not just the build.
Here is the timeline at a glance:
Stage | What happens | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
Content prep | Clear FAST rights, organize at least 200 hours, add metadata | Depends on library size and rights checks |
Build | Schedule with EPG, configure SCTE-35 ad markers, generate HLS | Days to weeks; Revidd apps in as little as 1 to 2 weeks, plus app store review |
Distribution | Apply to and onboard with Roku, Samsung, Pluto | Set by each service; plan for months |
Revenue ramp | Ad demand connects and fills inventory | After carriage starts |
If you also run on-demand content, it is worth deciding your monetization approach across formats early. Our guide to SVOD vs AVOD vs TVOD monetization models covers how FAST fits alongside subscription and pay-per-view. And if you are still choosing a platform to run all of this, start with what to look for in a white-label OTT platform and compare the best FAST channel platforms before signing anything.
Should You Launch With Revidd or a Distribution Specialist?
It depends on where you want the channel to play.
If you want a 24/7 channel inside your own branded apps on Roku, Fire TV, Samsung, LG, Vizio, Apple TV and Android TV, Revidd is a good fit. You build the schedule and program guide yourself, add SCTE-35 markers for your ad partners, and run the channel beside your live and on demand content.
If your main goal is to get onto Samsung TV Plus, Pluto TV or The Roku Channel, Revidd is not the right first call. Revidd does not provide managed carriage onto those services. A distribution specialist such as Amagi or Wurl does that work and is the better choice. You can also start in your own apps and add carriage later.
Launch Your FAST Channel With Revidd
Knowing how to launch a FAST channel is one thing; doing it without an engineering team is another. Revidd gives you the drag-and-drop Program Manager, EPG, SCTE-35 markers for your ad partners, a Rescue Playlist, an Ad Filler Playlist, and HLS output to build a FAST channel inside your own apps. Revidd does not provide managed carriage onto Samsung TV Plus, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, or Tubi. One integration covers 50+ device endpoints, from Roku and Fire TV to Samsung, LG, Vizio, Apple TV, and mobile. Revidd powers streaming that reaches more than 38 million viewers and 5.2 million monthly active viewers across 15 countries. Niche Network TV runs many linear and restream channels on it, and TrueVi runs a multi-channel FAST ecosystem on the same stack. Book a demo and we will map your content to a launch plan.
Related guides
FAST channel metrics and KPIs to track after launch.
What it costs to launch a FAST channel, line by line.
FAST channel launch cost calculator for a rough year-one budget.
How to start a TV network online, with a 24/7 channel, apps and costs.
FAQ
What software do you need to launch a FAST channel?
You need a media library, a playout scheduler that builds the 24/7 timeline and the EPG, SCTE-35 ad markers, an ad partner to fill the breaks, an HLS stream output and apps or services where viewers watch. Revidd covers the library, scheduling, EPG, markers, HLS output and branded apps in one platform. Ad demand comes from your ad partners, and carriage on third-party FAST services is a separate deal.
How much content do I need to launch a FAST channel?
Wurl, for example, says a FAST channel typically needs at least 200 hours of video content to support a 24/7 schedule, so it does not repeat so often that viewers lose interest. A focused theme matters more than sheer volume.
Do I need separate rights to put content on a FAST channel?
Often, yes. The right to stream a title on your own VOD service is not always the right to distribute it on a FAST channel through third-party platforms. Confirm FAST distribution rights in writing for every title before scheduling it.
How does a FAST channel make money?
Through advertising. Ad breaks are marked in the stream using the SCTE-35 standard and filled by your ad partner, usually with server-side ad insertion. The channel connects to ad marketplaces, and revenue is typically shared with the connected TV platforms that carry it.
Can I get my channel on Roku and Samsung myself?
You apply to each platform, which curates the channels it carries, usually under a revenue-share arrangement. Platforms favor professionally programmed channels with cleared content and reliable technical delivery. A distribution specialist such as Amagi or Wurl can shorten the process. Revidd does not provide managed carriage onto these services.
Can you launch a FAST channel without carriage on Samsung TV Plus or The Roku Channel?
Yes. You can run a 24/7 FAST channel inside your own branded apps on Roku, Samsung, LG, Vizio, Apple TV, Fire TV and Android TV, and fill its ad breaks through your ad partners. Carriage on services such as Samsung TV Plus or The Roku Channel can be added later through a deal with each service or a distribution specialist.
How long does it take to launch a FAST channel?
The technical build can take days to weeks once content is cleared, and Revidd's branded apps can be ready in as little as 1 to 2 weeks, plus app store review that Revidd doesn't control. Insight TV, a FAST channel operator, advises planning about 12 to 16 weeks from strategy to a live channel. Carriage on third-party services and ad revenue usually take months more.
Is Revidd a good choice if I want my FAST channel on Samsung TV Plus?
Not on its own. Revidd does not provide managed carriage onto Samsung TV Plus, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel or Tubi. A distribution specialist such as Amagi or Wurl is the better choice for that. Revidd fits if you want the channel inside your own apps first.
Can I launch a FAST channel without an engineering team?
Yes, if the platform gives you a scheduler and branded apps. With Revidd you build the schedule and program guide in a drag and drop tool, and apps can be ready in as little as 1 to 2 weeks plus store review. Rights, content and ad partners still take your time.
For a broader vendor comparison, see our guide to the best FAST channel platforms. For a sports-specific playbook, see how to launch a sports FAST channel.
