Get started with FAST channels

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Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST) channels are linear channels that viewers access to watch TV shows, movies, and other content without paying a subscription fee. These channels generate revenue through advertising.
Through JWP's FAST Channels partnership with ViewNexa, you can create and syndicate FAST channels to various FAST distribution platforms or integrate them into your apps. Each channel can include VOD assets stitched together to simulate a live stream, scheduled live programming, or breaking live events.
Powered by ViewNexa, this collaboration offers several benefits, such as:
Expanding your content reach to FAST distribution platforms and devices
Monetizing your content with advertising
Creating a traditional broadcast TV experience from your existing VOD and live content
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Distribution to FAST platforms requires a business relationship with the desired FAST distribution platform. Your JWP and ViewNexa representatives can provide guidance.
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## High-Level Workflow
The following workflow illustrates how your JWP-hosted content gets distributed.
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Diagram of distribution workflow
ViewNexa ingests your JWP-hosted content and associated metadata.
Once ingested, you manage schedules and advertising for your FAST channels.
ViewNexa prepares your content for distribution and streams the content as a linear stream to FAST channel distribution platforms or your apps using JWP's CDN where permitted.
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## Requirement
FAST Channels entitlement
<em>Contact your JWP representative more information</em>
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## Manage content in your JWP dashboard
<ol>
    <li>Create two default custom parameters: <em>contentCategory</em> and <em>cuepoints</em>. Both custom parameters will be applied to all new media uploaded to your media library.
      <br /><br />
      <table>
        <tr>
          <td style="background-color:#E4EDF3">ℹ️ After your media has been uploaded, the value of each custom parameter can be edited per media item. This is mentioned in step 3.</td>
        </tr>
      </table>
      <br />
      <details><summary><strong>contentCategory</strong></summary>
        <br />
        This default custom parameter has a list of category values, such as <em>sports</em>, <em>comedy</em>, and <em>home improvement</em>. Your content editors will select a listed value to assign a content category to individual media items.
        <br /><br />
        <ol>
          <li>Under <strong>Template Type</strong>, select <strong>List of pre-defined options</strong>.</li>
          <li>In the <strong>Key</strong> field, enter <em>contentCategory</em>.</li>
          <li>Under <strong>Values</strong>, enter a content category in each field.
            <br /><br />
            <table>
              <tr>
                <td style="background-color:#E4EDF3">ℹ️ The first listed value is assigned by default. To default to unselected, leave the first field blank.</td>
              </tr>
            </table>
          </li>
        </ol>
        <br />
      </details>
      <details><summary><strong>cuepoints</strong></summary>
        <br />
        This default custom parameter will be used for defining ad breaks.
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        <ol>
          <li>Under <strong>Template Type</strong>, select <strong>Empty text field</strong>.</li>
          <li>In the <strong>Key</strong> field, enter <em>cuepoints</em>.</li>
          <li>Under <strong>Default Value (optional)</strong>,  leave the field blank. Specific cue points can be added in a comma-delimited list to each video after upload. Cue point values are in seconds.
            <br /><br />
            <table>
              <tr>
                <td style="background-color:#E5FBE6">💡 If ad breaks should occur at common times for all videos, set a default set of comma-delimited cue points in seconds.
                  <br /><br />
                  For example: <em>0, 300, 600, 900</em>
                </td>
              </tr>
            </table>
          </li>
        </ol>
      </details>
      <br />
    </li>
    <li><a href="/platform/docs/vdh-upload-videos" target="_blank">Upload your video on demand (VOD) media</a> to your JWP media library.</li>
    <li><a href="/platform/docs/vdh-edit-video-metadata" target="_blank">Edit the video metadata</a>:
      <ul>
        <li>Apply tags to the media. The tags are used to manage your uploaded media.</li>
        <li>If necessary, edit the values of the default custom parameters associated during the upload process.</li>
        <li>Ensure that your caption files are labeled with <a href="https://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/php/code_list.php" target="_blank">ISO 639-2</a> compliant names or codes.</li>
      </ul>
    </li>
    <li>Create a playlist with your JWP-hosted media:
        <ul>
            <li>For automated playlist creation, <a href="/platform/docs/vdh-create-a-dynamic-playlist" target="_blank">create a dynamic playlist</a>.</li>
            <li>For custom, manual playlist creation, <a href="/platform/docs/vdh-create-a-manual-playlist" target="_blank">create a manual playlist</a>.</li>
        </ul>
      <br /><br />
      <table>
        <tr>
          <td style="background-color:#FCF8F3">⚠️ A playlist for FAST channels must contain <strong>only JWP-hosted media or registered .mp4 URLs</strong>.</td>
       </tr>
      </table>
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    </li>
    <li>Share the <a href="/platform/docs/vdh-export-playlists-to-syndication-channels#export-video-content" target="_blank">dynamic playlist RSS feed</a> with your Bitcentral representative.</li>
    <li>(Optional) For live event streams, <a href="/platform/docs/vdh-set-up-live-broadcasts-for-fast-channels" target="_blank">configure your Live Channel stream</a> to syndicate to your FAST channels.</li>
  </ol>
After completing these steps, your ViewNexa representative will help you manage schedules and advertising for your FAST channels.
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## FAQs
<details><summary><strong>How can live broadcasts sent to ViewNexa be monetized?</strong></summary>
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Currently, you can monetize your live broadcasts in one or several of the following ways:
Trigger ads with ViewNexa's manual real-time triggering tool.
Include postroll ads in the VOD media item that is scheduled before the live broadcast.
Include preroll ads in the VOD media item that is scheduled for after the live broadcast.
Please contact your JWP representative for more guidance.
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SSAI for VOD media in your linear channel is handled automatically according to the cue points that you configure.
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</details>
<details><summary><strong>Is there any documentation for FAST channel setup in ViewNexa?</strong></summary>
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Yes. The following ViewNexa articles address key topics in the setup workflow. You must have a ViewNexa account to have access to these documents.
<a href="https://help.bitcentral.com/help/channels" target="_blank">Channel creation and the different types of channels</a>
<a href="https://help.bitcentral.com/help/electronic-program-guide" target="_blank">How to generate an Electronic Program Guide (EPG)</a>
<a href="https://help.bitcentral.com/help/monetization" target="_blank">How to monetize your channels</a>
<a href="https://help.bitcentral.com/help/analytics" target="_blank">How to view analytics for your channel(s)</a>
While ViewNexa provides this documentation, your ViewNexa representative will guide you through the entire setup and tailor the workflow to your business needs.
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Bitcentral was rebranded as **ViewNexa**. Any remaining references to Bitcentral or the FUEL product should be assumed to refer to ViewNexa.
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</details>
<details><summary><strong>How are media metadata synced between JWP and ViewNexa?</strong></summary>
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Currently media is only imported into ViewNexa from JWP. There isn't a syncing mechanism.
After your MRSS feed is set up, ViewNexa's platform will periodically pull any new media items that have been added to the JWP MRSS feed. ViewNexa is only importing **new media items** from your JWP MRSS feed. Changes made in JWP to a media item that has already been imported into ViewNexa will not be reflected in ViewNexa and vice versa.
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</details>
<details><summary><strong>Does ViewNexa's platform have multi-factor authentication?</strong></summary>
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Yes. ViewNexa's platform has enhanced security with the use of any authenticator app for 2-step verification. This feature can be enabled on a per-user basis by your ViewNexa representative. 
Learn more about <a href="https://help.bitcentral.com/help/multi-factor-authentication" target="_blank">Setting Up Multi-factor Authentication</a> by logging into your ViewNexa Help Center account.
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</details>
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