By Sampath Mallidi, CEO of Revidd · October 2026
You can start a TV network online without a tower, a transmitter or a cable deal. You need content you have the rights to stream, a plan for how the network earns, and apps on the screens your viewers already use.
TL;DR: Start with rights. Then pick your format: on-demand, live, or a 24/7 channel. Pick a way to earn. Put apps on the TVs and phones your audience uses. Getting your channel onto other free streaming services is a separate job that you or a distribution specialist own. A lean team can do all of this on a white label platform. A team with engineers and unusual needs may be better off building.
Do you have the rights to stream what you own?
This is the step that decides the rest, and it is where launches stall.
Make a list of everything you want in the network. For each title, check three things:
Do you hold streaming rights, or only broadcast or DVD rights?
Which countries are covered?
Does the contract allow free with ads, paid, or both?
Start with what you own outright. News, local sports, services, interviews, community shows and your back catalog are usually easiest. Licensed shows and network programs often need a new agreement before they can stream.
Not sure what your library is worth online? Our content library analyzer is a quick way to take stock.
Should your network be on-demand, live or a 24/7 channel?
Most networks end up with all three. You do not have to launch with all three.
Format | What it is | Good first step if |
|---|---|---|
On-demand | A library viewers browse and play any time | You have a deep archive |
Live | Events, services or newscasts at set times | Your content is time-sensitive |
24/7 channel | A schedule that is always playing, with a program guide | You want viewers to lean back and keep watching |
A 24/7 channel is built from your library on a schedule. It does not need a studio running all day. Many networks fill it with a loop of library shows, then drop live events into the schedule when they happen. We cover that in how to turn a video library into a FAST channel.
On Revidd, playout and the program guide sit in the same system as your on-demand library, so the channel and the library share one catalog.
How will your network earn money?
Pick the model that fits your audience, not the one that sounds biggest.
Model | Viewers | You earn from |
|---|---|---|
SVOD | Pay a monthly or yearly fee | Subscriptions |
AVOD | Watch free | Ads |
TVOD | Pay per title or per event | One-time purchases |
Hybrid | Choose free, subscribe or buy | A mix |
A few rules of thumb:
Loyal, niche audience (faith, a sports team, a language community): subscriptions and pay per event often fit.
Big library, broad audience: free with ads, so more people find you.
Both: a free tier to bring people in, and a paid tier for the best content.
Revidd supports SVOD, AVOD, TVOD, hybrid and pay per view, with SCTE-35 markers for your ad partners. Details are on the monetization page. We do not publish a price on this page. Ask any vendor for a written quote on your exact scope.
Which screens do your viewers actually use?
Think about where your audience watches, then start there. A faith network with a loyal web audience can start on web and phones. A sports network with living room viewers needs TV apps early.
Your list will probably include Roku, Samsung, LG, Apple TV, Fire TV, Android TV, iPhone, iPad, Android and web.
Building each of those yourself means separate apps, separate store accounts and separate reviews. On Revidd, one integration reaches 50+ device endpoints, and apps can be live in as little as 1 to 2 weeks. App store review is outside our control and adds time. See Revidd OTT apps.
You do not need an in-house engineering team to do this on Revidd.
Who gets your channel onto Samsung TV Plus, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel and Tubi?
You do, or a distribution specialist you hire. Revidd does not do this.
Here is the split:
Your own network and apps: your channel runs inside your branded apps. Revidd builds and runs this.
Third-party FAST services: Samsung TV Plus, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Tubi and others each decide what they carry. You apply, deliver a feed they accept, and negotiate terms. Revidd does not place channels on those services. Companies such as Amagi and Wurl specialize in that distribution.
Revidd gives you the channel and an output with SCTE-35 markers for your ad partners that you can take into those conversations. Whether a service takes your channel is up to the service.
Many networks do both: own the apps, then pursue third-party reach once the channel has a steady schedule. Our guide to FAST channel distribution goes through it.
How long does it take?
Rights and content take longest, and only you control that. The rest is shorter.
Rights and library. Depends on your contracts. Start here and run it alongside everything else.
Format and model. A few decisions. No build required.
Platform and branding. Set up your catalog, channel schedule, storefront and look.
Apps. In as little as 1 to 2 weeks on Revidd, plus store review.
Distribution. Third-party FAST services run their own timelines. Ask each one.
Cost depends on how many apps, channels and hours of video you run. Our FAST channel launch cost guide and calculator walk through the lines, and what it costs to build an OTT platform covers the do-it-yourself side.
When is building it yourself, or another vendor, the better choice?
Revidd is not right for every network. Be honest about which one you are.
Build in-house if:
You already have video engineers and want full control of every part of the product.
Your product is unusual and does not look like a normal streaming service.
Read build vs buy for OTT before you decide.
Use a distribution specialist if your main goal is to be on Samsung TV Plus, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel or Tubi, and you do not need your own apps. Amagi and Wurl are two to look at.
Use a creator tool or a free platform if you are one person selling courses or memberships, or you just want to post videos for free. That is a different job from running a network.
Look at Revidd if you are a broadcaster, faith group, sports team or diaspora network with a library, a small team and a goal of branded apps on every screen without hiring engineers.
Ready to see your network on a TV screen?
Bring a week of your schedule and a few shows. We will show you a channel, a library and branded apps running together. Request a demo.
Revidd powers streaming that reaches more than 38 million viewers and 5.2 million monthly active viewers across 15 countries. For the general version of this question, see how to start a streaming service.
FAQ
How do I start a TV network online?
Check your streaming rights, choose on-demand, live or a 24/7 channel, pick a way to earn, and put apps on the devices your viewers use. A white label platform handles the apps and channel tools, so a small team can launch without engineers. Third-party FAST distribution comes after, and you manage it.
Do I need a broadcast license to start a TV network online?
This page does not give legal advice. A network that streams over the internet does not use a broadcast tower, but your content rights, music licenses and local rules still apply. Check with a media lawyer before you launch.
Is a TV network different from a FAST channel?
Yes. A network is the whole service: library, live events, channels and apps. FAST, free ad-supported streaming TV, is one way to earn from a channel. Many networks have a FAST-style channel inside their own apps.
Can I get my channel on Samsung TV Plus, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel or Tubi with Revidd?
No. Revidd does not place channels on those services. You apply to each one yourself or hire a specialist such as Amagi or Wurl. Revidd gives you the channel and your own branded apps.
What does it cost to start a TV network online?
It depends on your apps, channels and library. We do not publish a price here. Use the FAST channel launch cost calculator for the cost lines, and ask each vendor for a written quote on your scope.
How long does it take to launch?
Rights and content take the longest. Revidd apps can be live in as little as 1 to 2 weeks, plus app store review that we do not control. Third-party FAST services run on their own schedules.
Sources
Revidd pages: platform overview, FAST channels, playout and EPG, OTT apps, monetization. No third-party statistics are used on this page.
