Create a Schedule

A schedule is a powerful tool for managing the timing and delivery of content within a channel. It allows you to orchestrate content groups with precise start dates and times, ensuring that your audience experiences a well-organized and engaging broadcast. Additionally, the scheduling feature supports the insertion of ad slots, crucial for monetization through Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI).

To efficiently manage content delivery within a channel, schedules can be created from the menu inside of the corresponding FAST Channel.

Navigate to the channels menu and select the corresponding channel for which you wish to create a schedule. Within the selected channel’s menu, find and click on the "Schedule" option. This will open the scheduling interface, allowing you to set up content groups and ad slots.

After opening the create schedule page:

1. URL-Safe Name: Enter a URL-safe name for the schedule. Ensure the name is descriptive and uses only characters compatible with URLs for seamless integration.
2. Start Date: Set the mandatory start date and time for the schedule. This specifies when the content will begin to play.
3. End Date (Optional): If you want the schedule to end on a specific date, provide an end date.
4. Schedule Loop Status: Activate the Schedule Loop Status to enable looping of the content groups within that schedule. This ensures that the content repeats continuously without requiring further intervention. If an end date is specified with activating the Loop Status, the schedule will loop only until that end date. If no end date is provided, activating the Schedule Loop Status will enable the schedule to loop indefinitely, keeping it active until the status is changed or a new schedule is created for the channel. After setting up the schedule date details, the next step is to select the groups that are available for this schedule from the list. You can choose the desired groups and then use drag-and-drop functionality to arrange them in the preferred order. While you can reorder the groups here, the content within each group cannot be altered at this stage. This ensures that the schedule reflects the predetermined structure and sequence of the content groups. To explore the content within each group, simply click the arrow next to the corresponding row. This feature allows you to preview the contents effortlessly. For a deeper dive into the details of each group, click the eye icon to access the comprehensive detail page. This streamlined navigation enhances your ability to manage and review content, ensuring a smooth and efficient scheduling experience.