The OTT.X EPG, SCTE & Metadata Roundtables are working-session style discussions designed to bring together senior leaders and practitioners from across the CTV ecosystem to tackle one of the industry’s most foundational — and most complex — challenges: how metadata, signaling, and standards power discovery, monetization, and viewer experience at scale.
Rather than a broad, multi-topic conversation, this session will serve as a deep-dive working roundtable focused specifically on the EPG, metadata, and SCTE-driven standards environment, with an emphasis on the work currently underway across the DSCA and adjacent stakeholder groups. This session will center on real-world use cases and implementation challenges, including:
EPG Structure & Channel Typing
- Linear, FAST, event-based, and special programming channels
- Scheduled vs. real-time updates
- Naming, labeling, aliases, and machine-readable descriptors
Metadata & Discovery
- Live vs. recorded content attributes
- Open-ended vs. closed-ended programming
- Playback latency expectations and viewer experience impacts
SCTE & Signaling Considerations
- Preemptive changes (sports overruns, breaking news, emergencies)
- Program replacement, blackout handling, and program gaps
- Coordination between metadata updates and signaling events
Interoperability & Implementation
- Where standards align — and where gaps remain
- Cross-platform consistency challenges
- Practical considerations for distributors, publishers, and OEMs
DSCA Working Group Update
A dedicated portion of the session will include a working-group update and guided discussion based on current DSCA activity, including:
- Review of use cases and attributes under discussion
- Near-term goals and areas moving toward ratification
- Open questions around artwork, real-time updates, and latency expectations
- Next steps and how to get involved
What to Expect
- A dedicated DSCA working group session focused on the current EPG specification
- A focused review of where the EPG standard stands today
- Discussion of key open questions impacting adoption
- Real-world implementation considerations across platforms
- Alignment on timelines and next steps as the spec nears completion
Who Should Attend
This roundtable convenes senior leaders and domain experts from across the CTV metadata, EPG, and signaling ecosystem, including streaming platforms and OEMs, FAST and linear publishers, distributors, standards bodies, and technology providers supporting metadata management, SCTE signaling, discovery, and measurement.
Finding Common Ground
Participants will engage in candid discussion around interoperability, update latency, real-time signaling, discovery, and implementation gaps, grounded in active industry use cases and current standards work. The goal is to leave the room with shared definitions, clearer expectations, and concrete next steps that help move the ecosystem forward as live and linear streaming continues to scale.
Event Details
- Monday, February 23, 2026
- 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Fandango Offices — Universal City, CA
- Available for in-person attendance or virtual participation via Zoom
Open to OTT.X & DSCA members and select invited stakeholders actively engaged in EPG, metadata, SCTE signaling, live streaming operations, and standards development across the CTV ecosystem.
Agenda
10:00 AM - 12:00 PMEPG, SCTE & Metadata Roundtables
In-person attendance or virtual participation via Zoom
This session will introduce the DSCA EPG specification and provide a structured forum for feedback and discussion.
Topics will include:
- Overview of current EPG, SCTE, and metadata challenges across live, FAST, and CTV environments
- Presentation of the DSCA EPG specification, including scope, goals, and key design decisions
- Update on work completed to date and areas still under discussion
- Discussion of open questions impacting implementation and adoption
- Review of proposed timelines, next steps, and opportunities to engage
This portion is designed to surface real-world considerations and align stakeholders as the specification moves toward finalization.12:00 PM - 1:00 PMLunch
In-person attendance only
An informal break for in-person attendees to connect and continue conversations.1:00 PM - CloseDSCA Working Group Session
In-person attendance or virtual participation via Zoom
This session transitions into an active DSCA working group meeting focused on progressing the specification forward.
The working group session will:
- Advance specific elements of the EPG specification
- Align on outstanding decisions and implementation priorities
- Define concrete next steps and ownership
Invited guests from the roundtables will be welcome to join the working group session if they are interested in participating in the ongoing DSCA effort.
Moderator
Craig Seidel
Chief Executive Officer | Seidel Media Technology
Craig Seidel is a renowned technology executive working in media, always looking for better ways to do business.
He has transformed film and television distribution by creating novel technologies, known collectively as the MovieLabs Digital Distribution Framework (MDDF), and building consensus to adopt them. For this he received an Emmy award. As a principal at MovieLabs and CTO at Pixelogic Media, Craig has worked with closely with technology leaders in studios, services companies, and streaming platforms.
He has decades of experience including over 20 years in movies and television. Craig holds engineering degrees from UC Berkeley and Stanford.
Request an Invitation
Who Should Attend?
This roundtable is open to OTT.X members, DSCA members, and select invited stakeholders actively engaged in shaping the EPG, metadata, and signaling foundations of the CTV ecosystem including:
- Live TV, FAST, or CTV platform operations
- EPG, metadata, discovery, or content systems
- OEM TV platforms and operating systems
- FAST services and channel operators
- Content distribution and technical operations
Participation is intentionally curated to maintain a senior, collaborative, and off-the-record working environment. The discussion is designed for executives and practitioners directly involved in EPG strategy, metadata architecture, SCTE signaling, live streaming operations, and standards development.
Interested attendees may request an invitation to join the discussion.