Avails and CTL resources
Templates, allowed values, contacts, and definitions for the v1.4 specification.
Formats and downloads
| Resource | Use |
|---|---|
| MovieLabs EMA Avails | EMA workbooks and format instructions. Roku supports spreadsheet versions up to 1.9 and prefers 1.9. |
| Roku Avails and CTL template v1.4 | Blank Roku workbook with required-field and formatting hints. |
| AVOD examples v1.4 | Sample movie, clip, and episode availability rows. |
| SVOD examples v1.4 | Sample SVOD and FVOD availability rows. |
For the Roku workbooks, use the supplied worksheet names and 44-column layout. The v1.4 blank template uses the worksheet name RokuAvails_v1.4. The sample values are illustrative, including the cast and synopsis examples. Replace them with your own title information before submission.
The Examples explains dates, language rights, exclusions, and full-extract updates.
Allowed values
Some fields accept only values from a defined list. For example, Content Type accepts movie, episode, or shortForm; a title or synopsis is free text. Use an allowed value with the spelling and capitalization shown in the reference.
Genres
Use the shared ingest genre list for allowed values. You may provide more than one genre, separated by commas.
Ratings
Rating Source and Rating Value are required on every row. Use the shared rating values by rating system and country. Select the system appropriate to the title and its distribution territory, and pair it with a value from that system.
Do not mix a value from one rating system with another system's name.
Self-rating titles
If a title has not been rated by the official rating authority for its distribution territory, Roku strongly encourages partners to self-rate the title using USA_PR (USA Parental Rating). There is no official ratings body for USA_PR; the partner reviews the content and assigns the appropriate rating using the TV Parental Guidelines.
To enter a self-assigned rating in the Roku workbook:
- Review the title against the TV Parental Guidelines and choose the appropriate allowed
USA_PRrating. - Enter
USA_PRin Rating Source. - Enter the selected rating in Rating Value. For example, enter
TV-PGonly if that rating is appropriate for the title under the guidelines.
When NR is used
Use NR (Not Rated) only as a last resort, when neither an official rating nor a self-assigned rating is available and the selected rating system allows NR. Roku strongly prefers an official or self-assigned rating on all content.
NR titles are subject to manual verification, which can delay or prevent selection and publication on Roku Channel. Their discoverability may also be affected, and they cannot appear in the Kids & Family experience.
See the Kids Directed Content Policy for requirements that apply to kids-directed content.
Language codes
Use the shared ingest language codes for Original Spoken Language, Language, and Excluded Languages. The same code set applies to these CTL fields.
Language identifies the language or locale, such as en-us or es-mx. LocalizationType identifies the audio or subtitle rights associated with that language. See language and localization rules.
Other allowed values
| Field | Allowed values or reference |
|---|---|
| Content Type | movie, episode, shortForm; mapping to ingest |
| License Type and Excluded Rights | AVOD, SVOD, FVOD, Linear OTT; rights definitions |
| LocalizationType | sub, dub, subdub, any; localization definitions |
| Country of Origin | One ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code |
| Territory | One country/territory code or supported group value per row; see the field reference. |
| ExcludedTerritories | Country/territory codes separated by commas; see the field reference. |
| Format | SD, HD, UHD |
| Boolean fields | true, false |
| Recommended Age Group | ages_1-3, ages_4-6, ages_7-9, ages_10plus; supply only one when applicable. |
| External ID Source | TMS for Gracenote, IMDb, Wiki for Wikipedia |
| Caption Exemption | Codes 1 through 6, defined below. |
Linear OTT is a Roku-specific value, not an officially supported EMA license type. Include it when offering content for distribution on linear OTT channels built by Roku, including in EMA submissions. See Linear OTT in EMA submissions.
Howdy identifies the service or workflow. For License Type, use the rights agreed with Roku for that service.
Accessibility
The workbook records whether captions and audio description are included. It does not replace the caption and subtitle delivery requirements or audio requirements.
For US availability, when Closed Captioning is false, supply the applicable Caption Exemption code. When audio description is required for a title but is not supplied, include the applicable reason in Audio Description Exemption. Partners are responsible for determining which requirements and exemptions apply to their content and territories.
Caption exemption codes
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
1 | The content has never aired on television in the United States. |
2 | The content has only aired on television in the United States without captions. |
3 | The content has not aired on television in the United States with captions since September 30, 2012. |
4 | The content does not consist of full-length video programming. |
5 | The content does not fall within a category of online programming that requires captions under FCC regulations. |
6 | The FCC or US Congress has granted a captioning exemption for this content. |
For the regulatory references maintained with the delivery rules, see closed captions and subtitles, the FCC captioning guide, and the FCC audio description reference.
Contacts and submission routes
| Purpose | Contact or route |
|---|---|
| Avails selection and initial finalized CTL | Your Roku business team, using [email protected]. |
| AVOD, Linear OTT, or Howdy updates | Roku VOD support in Zendesk. Feedback is provided through the ticket. |
| SVOD self-service delivery | The approved Aspera or direct S3 delivery method for your workflow. No proactive processing feedback is provided. |
| Questions or help with an SVOD submission | Contact Content Operations for assistance. |
See submitting and updating Avails for the distinction between business approval, delivery, and rights updates.
Related specifications
- MovieLabs EMA Avails: Roku supports EMA spreadsheet versions up to 1.9 and prefers 1.9.
- The Roku Channel ingest specification
- Roku metadata overview
- Metadata updates and file replacements: media and metadata procedures; use this CTL guide's service-specific route for CTL rights changes.
- Film ratings, TV parental guidelines, BBFC, Canadian film ratings, and Canadian television ratings
Glossary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Avails | Titles offered to Roku for licensing or distribution. |
| CTL | Committed Title List: the agreed titles and their availability information. |
| Availability window | The dates and conditions under which a title may be offered. |
| License Type | The distribution right, such as AVOD or SVOD. |
| Territory | A country or territory covered by the rights. |
| LocalizationType | The audio/subtitle rights associated with a language. |
| Relative time | A time applied separately in each viewer's local time zone. |
| Absolute time | One instant for all viewers, represented in UTC. |
| Full extract | An SVOD submission that replaces existing windows for the title, partner, territory, and language combinations covered by that submission. |
| EMA | The MovieLabs Avails format for exchanging title availability and rights information. |
| Ingest | Processing a submitted file into Roku's systems. File delivery alone does not establish successful processing. |
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Updated about 5 hours ago