Q&A: Skillshare and Amagi partner up to bring creativity to FAST channel

Subscribe to NewscastStudio for the latest news, project case studies and product announcements in broadcast technology, creative design and engineering delivered to your inbox.
Amagi and Skillshare have joined forces to debut Skillshare TV, a free ad-supported streaming television channel designed to bring creative learning to a larger, more diverse audience.
Launched on LG Channels in the United States, Skillshare TV packages the platform’s classes into a linear TV experience, offering viewers a fresh and accessible way to engage with creative education.
Skillshare TV bridges the gap between self-directed online learning and the passive, discovery-oriented nature of TV viewing.
Behind the scenes, Amagi’s cloud-based FAST technology powers the channel’s delivery and monetization. From content curation to ad placement, Amagi’s platform ensures that Skillshare TV reaches audiences efficiently and cost-effectively while optimizing viewer engagement and revenue streams.
Matt Cooper, CEO of Skillshare, and Srinivasan (Srini) KA, co-founder and CRO of Amagi, share insights into the creation of Skillshare TV, the challenges of adapting content for a linear TV format, and their shared vision for the future of educational programming in an increasingly dynamic streaming landscape.
What are the main objectives you hope to achieve with the launch of Skillshare TV as a FAST channel? How does Skillshare TV align with Skillshare’s mission to make creative learning accessible anytime, anywhere?
Matt Cooper, CEO, Skillshare: The FAST model, driven by ad-supported, linear programming, complements Skillshare’s mission of making creativity accessible to all. With Skillshare TV available on LG Channels, this collaboration ensures that Skillshare’s high-quality, creative content reaches a broader, more diverse audience, bringing them into the world of creative learning.
From Amagi’s perspective, how is the channel being created and delivered via FAST platforms?
Srinivasan (Srini) KA, co-founder and chief revenue officer, Amagi: Amagi provides a comprehensive, cloud-native solution for creating and delivering channels on Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) platforms. Using Amagi’s state-of-the-art platform, Skillshare TV’s channel is curated with precision, from content ingestion to scheduling and playout. This process ensures seamless integration with FAST platforms, enabling a global reach. Amagi’s advanced monetization tools, such as Ads Plus, optimize ad placements, ensuring that the content remains engaging while maximizing revenue potential.
How will the FAST model benefit both Skillshare and its community of creators in terms of reach and monetization?
Matt Cooper: Skillshare TV supports Skillshare’s teachers by showcasing their amazing work to a broader audience. This offers not only additional monetization opportunities but also aids in the growth of their personal brand beyond the Skillshare community.
What type of content can viewers expect on Skillshare TV? Will it include exclusive programming or content that is different from the online platform?
Matt Cooper: With the motto of taking creative lifestyle learning from small to big screen, Skillshare TV acts as a daily creative companion for viewers, whether they’re creative professionals or hobbyists, guiding them through visually soothing programming. From journaling to watercolor illustration to doodling, Skillshare TV covers all aspects of bringing visual arts and creativity into the audience’s everyday lives.
The channel’s programming evolves with seasonal themes and cultural moments, including Skillshare Originals, and lessons from top creators such as Marie Noelle Wurm, Mimi Chao, Terry Runyan, Emma Gannon, and Justin Michael Williams.
Can you provide details about the availability of Skillshare TV? Which regions and platforms will it be accessible on initially?
Matt Cooper: Skillshare TV is available on LG Channels in the US, with more platforms and territories to come soon.
How does this partnership reflect your respective companies’ strategies in the evolving media and entertainment landscape?
Srini KA: This partnership underscores the complementary strengths of Skillshare and Amagi in navigating the dynamic media and entertainment landscape. Skillshare’s mission to make creative learning accessible anytime, anywhere is elevated by Amagi’s leadership and expertise in the FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming TV) space.
Amagi’s cutting-edge cloud-based technology and deep understanding of FAST channels have enabled Skillshare to extend its reach to a wider audience in an ad-supported format, creating new opportunities for engagement and monetization. This collaboration exemplifies Skillshare’s commitment to innovation in content delivery and accessibility, while highlighting Amagi’s pivotal role in reshaping content distribution and monetization models globally.
By aligning with Skillshare, Amagi continues to demonstrate its ability to empower content owners with scalable, flexible, and efficient solutions, reaffirming its leadership in the FAST ecosystem. Together, the partnership reflects both companies’ forward-thinking strategies to embrace emerging trends, expand audience reach, and deliver exceptional experiences in the evolving media and entertainment industry.
With the rise of streaming and FAST channels, how do you see the future of educational and inspirational content on television?
Matt Cooper: At Skillshare, we’ve seen repeatedly how creating can be a force for growth, change, and discovery in people’s lives. We want to inspire and multiply the kind of creative exploration that furthers expression, learning, and application. Whether on the small screen or big screen, Skillshare and Skillshare TV meet learners of all kinds wherever they are.
What challenges did you encounter in adapting Skillshare’s content for a linear TV format, and how did you overcome them?
Matt Cooper: While Skillshare is a platform serving a self-directed audience, Skillshare TV aims to provide comforting, inspirational programming. To align with that objective, Skillshare programs lessons that do not require supplies or participation, and provides engaging visuals that are soothing for viewers to watch.
For audiences new to Skillshare, how does Skillshare TV serve as an entry point to your broader offerings and community?
Matt Cooper: Skillshare TV serves as an entertaining introduction to the Skillshare brand, teachers, and classes. The channel’s programming acts as a teaser for the exciting creative skills one can learn on the Skillshare platform. For existing Skillshare users, Skillshare TV enhances learning by presenting teachers and content in new verticals, broadening the creative learning experience.
From Amagi’s standpoint, how is cloud-based technology reshaping the global distribution of content, especially for educational platforms like Skillshare?
Srini KA: Cloud-based technology, as offered by Amagi, is revolutionizing content distribution by eliminating geographical and technological barriers. For creative learning platforms like Skillshare, this means a faster, more cost-effective way to reach a global audience without investing in traditional broadcast infrastructure. Amagi’s cloud solutions offer flexibility in channel creation, dynamic ad insertion, and scalability, empowering platforms to adapt quickly to audience preferences. By enabling real-time updates, data-driven insights, and efficient monetization, Amagi ensures that educational content remains accessible and impactful in the competitive media landscape.
Subscribe to NewscastStudio for the latest news, project case studies and product announcements in broadcast technology, creative design and engineering delivered to your inbox.
tags
Amagi, Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST), KA Srinivasan, Matt Cooper, Professional Development & Training, Skillshare
categories
Executive Q&A, Featured, Streaming