Linear TV
Linear TV is television that plays programs on a fixed schedule, where every viewer sees the same content at the same time. Viewers cannot pick a show on demand. They tune into a channel and watch what is airing. Linear TV started with broadcast and cable, and now also runs as scheduled streaming channels over the internet.
Why it matters
Linear TV removes the choice problem: viewers tune in and something is already playing. That lean-back habit keeps people watching longer and makes scheduled ad breaks easy to sell. Streaming services add linear channels to keep viewers who find large on-demand menus tiring.
How it works
- Programmers build a schedule of shows, movies, live events and ad breaks.
- A playout system plays the schedule in order as one continuous stream.
- Every viewer who tunes in joins the stream at the same point in the schedule.
- The stream goes out over broadcast, cable or internet streaming to TVs and apps.
What is the difference between linear TV and streaming?
Linear TV plays a fixed schedule for everyone, while on-demand streaming lets each viewer choose what to watch and when. The line has blurred, because many streaming services now run linear channels over the internet too. The key difference is scheduled versus chosen viewing, not the delivery network.
Is linear TV dying?
Linear TV is shrinking on cable and broadcast but growing as scheduled streaming channels. Many viewers still like lean-back viewing, live sports and news. Free ad-supported streaming channels show that the linear format still works when it is delivered over the internet.
Where it's used
OTT services offer linear channels next to on-demand libraries. News publishers and sports broadcasters use scheduled streams for always-on coverage, replays and pre-game shows.
Where it usually goes wrong, and how FastPix handles it
Turning an on-demand library into a scheduled channel usually requires broadcast playout hardware and staff that digital-first teams do not have.
A video library becomes a scheduled linear channel in FastPix Cloud Playout, delivered as a live stream with room for live segments in the schedule. A digital-first team can add a lean-back channel next to its on-demand library without hiring a control room.
