DEG Guide | Digital Media Entertainment Definitions

AVOD* – Ad-supported Video-on-Demand. Consumers have access to movies, TV shows and more on demand at no cost (no subscription fee) or discounted, with the inclusion of advertising.

Bundle/Bundling – when multiple streaming services are offered for one subscription fee.

CTV – Connected TV – An internet-connected device that connects to or is embedded in a television (e.g. smart TV, gaming console, streaming device) used to stream video content.

Churn – refers to when streaming consumers drop their subscription; loss of subscribers to a streaming service

DTC – Direct-to-consumer services deliver single- or multi-channel content to consumers directly from a network or provider.

Download-to-Own – digital content purchased or licensed from platforms like Amazon Prime and iTunes (similar to EST).

Electronic Sell-through (EST) – refers to digital titles priced for sale to consumers. Enables standard or premium digital content to be streamed or downloaded by consumers for a fixed one-time fee and viewed as many times as they like, on various devices.

FAST – Free ad-supported streaming TV – linear channels delivered over the internet and available from third party platforms (e.g., Pluto, Tubi, Samsung TV+).

FVOD – Free Video On Demand is available to consumers at no cost. May or may not include advertising. Often presented as “front porch” content used to entice consumers to subscribe to a particular service.

IVOD – Internet Video On Demand is transactional VOD delivered through an internet service.

Linear TV – refers to live or prerecorded television programs that are distributed in real time, rather than on-demand, by cable (e.g., Comcast), satellite (e.g., DirecTV), telco (e.g., Verizon Fios) or broadcast OTA (over-the-air) networks, as well as internet-delivered digital program distributors (e.g., Hulu + Live TV, YouTubeTV, SlingTV).

MVPD – Multichannel Video Program Distributors offer a variety of different linear content channels from multiple providers over cable, satellite or telco services (e.g., Comcast, DISH, DirecTV, Verizon Fios) on a subscription basis. Virtual MVPDS (vMVPDs) offer channels through internet-delivered services (e.g., Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV).

O&O – an abbreviated way to reference a broadcast station that is “owned-and-operated” by the network or company that it’s affiliated with. NBC 4 Los Angeles, for example, is owned and operated by NBCUniversal.