Introduction
AMC Networks CTV specifications cover delivery requirements across AMC+, IFC, WE tv, and Sundance Now. The spec defines two delivery tiers: a primary high-resolution file for direct hosting and a set of three bitrate-tiered media files for VAST tag delivery, each with specific bitrate, dimension, and file size requirements by ad duration. Creatives must meet encoding, audio, and tag compliance standards to avoid rejection.
Publisher
- • VAST version: 2.0 only
- • Resolution: Preferred 1920×1080 · Min 1280×720
- • Aspect ratio: 16:9 only
- • Bitrate: 8–30 Mbps (hosted) · 500 kbps–3,000 kbps+ (VAST tiers)
- • Codec: H.264 · .mp4
- • Audio: AAC-LC · 44.1 or 48 kHz · −12 to −24 dB peak
- • 3 tiered VAST media files required (high, medium, low)
- • Wrapped tags: Not supported. Monitoring pixels only
Specifications
VAST and tag requirements
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| VAST supported | Yes |
| VAST version | 2.0 only |
| 3rd party tags | Yes |
| Preferred vendors | Check with Account Manager |
| Wrapped tags | Not supported. Monitoring pixels only |
| Trackers | Must be validated against publisher-approved vendors |
| VAST media file — high tier | Bitrate: 3,000 kbps+ · Codec: H.264 (MP4) · Min dimensions: 1280×720 :15 max file size: 4.5 MB · :30 max file size: 9 MB |
| VAST media file — medium tier | Bitrate: 1,200 kbps+ · Codec: H.264 (MP4) · Min dimensions: 854×480 :15 max file size: 3.5 MB · :30 max file size: 7 MB |
| VAST media file — low tier | Bitrate: 500 kbps+ · Codec: H.264 (MP4) · Min dimensions: 640×360 :15 max file size: 1.8 MB · :30 max file size: 3.5 MB |
Video specifications
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Preferred resolution | 1920×1080 |
| Aspect ratio — accepted | 16:9 |
| Aspect ratio — rejected | 1:1, 9:16 |
| Bitrate range | 8-30 Mbps |
| File format | .mp4 |
| Codec | H.264 |
| Max file size | 1.7 GB |
| Frame rate | 29.97 fps |
Audio specifications
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Audio required | Yes |
| Channels | Stereo |
| Sample rate | 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz |
| Peak audio range | −12 dB to −24 dB |
| Codec | AAC-LC |
- VAST tags must not contain JavaScript elements.
- Wrapped tags are not supported — only monitoring pixels are allowed.
- Trackers must be validated against publisher-approved vendors. Check with Account Manager to confirm approved vendor list.
- AMC Networks requires three tiered media files within each VAST tag: high (1280×720, 3,000 kbps+), medium (854×480, 1,200 kbps+), and low (640×360, 500 kbps+).
- File size limits apply per ad duration: :15 and :30 limits differ across all three tiers.
- Videos with 1:1 or 9:16 aspect ratios will be rejected.
- Peak audio must remain between −12 dB and −24 dB.
FAQs
What causes AMC Networks ads to fail even when bitrate and resolution are correct?
AMC Networks ads fail when non-compliant elements exist beyond bitrate and resolution, such as incorrect VAST structure, missing tiered media files, or unsupported tagging methods. Even correctly encoded video can be rejected if it violates VAST 2.0 rules, audio constraints, or tracker validation requirements.
How does file size impact AMC Networks VAST tier compliance?
File size impacts compliance because each VAST tier has strict maximum limits based on ad duration, such as :15 and :30 formats. If a file exceeds the allowed size for its tier, delivery fails even when bitrate and resolution are correct. Compliance requires matching both encoding settings and duration-based file constraints.
What happens if only a single media file is provided instead of all three tiers?
Providing only a single media file causes VAST delivery issues because AMC Networks requires high, medium, and low bitrate tiers for adaptive playback. Without all three tiers, playback may fail on lower bandwidth devices, and the creative is typically rejected during validation or not served consistently across endpoints.