AdCP — Shows and episodes

A product describes inventory along three independent axes:

Publisher properties — WHERE the ad runs (youtube.com, spotify.com)
Shows / episodes — WHAT CONTENT the ad runs in or around (a specific series and its installments)
Placements — WHAT POSITION the ad appears in (pre-roll, mid-roll, host read)

Shows and placements are parallel dimensions, not hierarchical. “Pre-roll” is a position. “Pinnacle Challenge” is content. A product combines them: “pre-roll on Pinnacle Challenge on Acme Streaming.”

The show object

A show is a persistent content program that produces episodes over time. Shows work like properties — they are reusable objects declared once in a get_products response, and multiple products reference the same show by show_id.

Field	Type	Required	Description
`show_id`	string	Yes	Seller-assigned identifier. Unique within one `get_products` response, not globally. Use distribution identifiers for cross-seller matching.
`name`	string	Yes	Human-readable show name
`description`	string	No	What the show is about
`genre`	string[]	No	Genre tags. When `genre_taxonomy` is present, values are taxonomy IDs (e.g., IAB Content Taxonomy 3.0). Otherwise free-form.
`genre_taxonomy`	string	No	Taxonomy system for genre values (e.g., `iab_content_3.0`). Recommended for machine-readable brand safety.
`language`	string	No	Primary language (BCP 47)
`content_rating`	object	No	Baseline rating: `system` + `rating`. Systems: `tv_parental`, `mpaa`, `podcast`, `esrb`, `bbfc`, `fsk`, `acb`, `custom`. Episodes can override.
`cadence`	string	No	`daily`, `weekly`, `seasonal`, `event`, `irregular`
`season`	string	No	Current or most recent season identifier (e.g., `"3"`, `"2026"`)
`status`	string	No	`active`, `hiatus`, `ended`, `upcoming`
`production_quality`	string	No	`professional`, `prosumer`, `ugc`. Seller-declared. Maps to OpenRTB `content.prodq`.
`talent`	array	No	Hosts, recurring cast, creators. Each entry has `role`, `name`, and optional `brand_url` linking to brand.json.
`distribution`	array	No	Where this show is distributed, with platform-specific identifiers per publisher.
`related_shows`	array	No	Relationships to other shows: `spinoff`, `companion`, `sequel`, `prequel`, `crossover`. Each entry has `show_id` + `relationship`. References are scoped to the same `get_products` response. Symmetric types (`companion`, `crossover`) do not require both shows to declare.

{
  "$schema": "https://adcontextprotocol.org/schemas/latest/core/show.json",
  "show_id": "pinnacle_challenge",
  "name": "The Pinnacle Challenge",
  "description": "Competition reality show with extreme physical and mental challenges",
  "genre": ["IAB1", "IAB1-6"],
  "genre_taxonomy": "iab_content_3.0",
  "language": "en",
  "content_rating": {
    "system": "tv_parental",
    "rating": "TV-PG"
  },
  "cadence": "weekly",
  "season": "1",
  "status": "active",
  "production_quality": "professional",
  "talent": [
    {
      "role": "host",
      "name": "Jordan Vega",
      "brand_url": "https://jordanvega.example.com/brand.json"
    }
  ],
  "distribution": [
    {
      "publisher_domain": "youtube.com",
      "identifiers": [
        { "type": "youtube_channel_id", "value": "UCexample123456" }
      ]
    },
    {
      "publisher_domain": "acmestreaming.example.com",
      "identifiers": [
        { "type": "imdb_id", "value": "tt9876543" }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

The episode object

An episode is a specific installment of a show. Not all episodes will be known in advance — a weekly podcast may only have next week’s episode scheduled, and some episodes may be tentative (a playoff Game 7 depends on Game 6).

Field	Type	Required	Description
`episode_id`	string	Yes	Unique identifier within the show
`show_id`	string	When needed	Parent show. Required when the product spans multiple shows.
`name`	string	No	Episode title
`season`	string	No	Season identifier (e.g., `"1"`, `"2026"`)
`episode_number`	string	No	Episode number within the season
`scheduled_at`	datetime	No	When the episode airs or publishes
`status`	string	No	`scheduled`, `tentative`, `live`, `postponed`, `cancelled`, `aired`, `published`
`duration_seconds`	integer	No	Expected duration
`flexible_end`	boolean	No	Whether end time is approximate (live events)
`valid_until`	datetime	No	When this data expires. Agents should re-query before committing budget to tentative episodes.
`content_rating`	object	No	Overrides the show’s baseline when present
`topics`	string[]	No	Episode-level content topics for brand safety. Uses show’s `genre_taxonomy` when present.
`guest_talent`	array	No	Episode-specific guests. Additive to the show’s recurring `talent`.
`ad_inventory`	object	No	Break-based ad inventory configuration
`derivative_of`	object	No	When this episode is a clip, highlight, or recap derived from a full episode. Has `episode_id` + `type` (`clip`, `highlight`, `recap`, `trailer`, `bonus`). Source `episode_id` must be in the same response.

Episode status lifecycle

Status	Meaning
`scheduled`	Confirmed, will happen
`tentative`	May not happen (depends on external conditions)
`live`	Currently airing or streaming right now
`postponed`	Was scheduled but delayed to a future date
`cancelled`	Will not happen
`aired`	Already broadcast — for back-catalog and replay inventory
`published`	Already released — for on-demand catch-up inventory

Expected transitions: scheduled or tentative → live → aired or published. A scheduled episode may become postponed (delayed) or cancelled. A postponed episode returns to scheduled when rescheduled. A tentative episode resolves to scheduled, cancelled, or postponed.

Inheritance from shows

Episodes inherit show-level fields they do not override:

content_rating: Episode value overrides show baseline. When absent, the show’s rating applies.
guest_talent: Additive to the show’s recurring talent — does not replace it.
topics: Additive context for brand safety, not a replacement for the show’s genre.

Buyer agents evaluate both levels: the show baseline provides the default safety profile, and episode fields refine it for specific installments.

{
  "$schema": "https://adcontextprotocol.org/schemas/latest/core/episode.json",
  "episode_id": "s1e03_the_wall",
  "show_id": "pinnacle_challenge",
  "name": "The Wall",
  "season": "1",
  "episode_number": "3",
  "scheduled_at": "2026-04-07T20:00:00Z",
  "status": "scheduled",
  "duration_seconds": 3600,
  "valid_until": "2026-04-06T20:00:00Z",
  "content_rating": {
    "system": "tv_parental",
    "rating": "TV-14"
  },
  "topics": ["IAB17-18"],
  "guest_talent": [
    {
      "role": "guest",
      "name": "Samira Okafor",
      "brand_url": "https://samiraokafor.example.com/brand.json"
    }
  ],
  "ad_inventory": {
    "expected_breaks": 4,
    "total_ad_seconds": 480,
    "max_ad_duration_seconds": 120,
    "unplanned_breaks": false,
    "supported_formats": ["video", "audio"]
  }
}

How products reference shows

Products reference shows via show_ids — an array, since a single product can span multiple shows (e.g., a network bundle). Episodes are listed per-product in the episodes array, since different products may scope different episodes of the same show.

Run-of-show (no specific episodes)

A product can reference a show without listing episodes. This means “inventory across this show, whatever episodes air during the flight dates”:

{
  "product_id": "pinnacle_run_of_show",
  "name": "Pinnacle Challenge Run of Show",
  "show_ids": ["pinnacle_challenge"],
  "placements": [
    { "placement_id": "pre_roll", "name": "Pre-roll" }
  ],
  "delivery_type": "non_guaranteed",
  "pricing_options": [
    { "pricing_option_id": "cpm", "pricing_model": "cpm", "floor_price": 25.00, "currency": "USD" }
  ]
}

Specific episodes

For premium or guaranteed buys, the seller scopes to specific episodes:

{
  "product_id": "pinnacle_finale",
  "name": "Pinnacle Challenge Season Finale Sponsorship",
  "show_ids": ["pinnacle_challenge"],
  "episodes": [
    {
      "episode_id": "s1e10_finale",
      "name": "The Grand Finale",
      "scheduled_at": "2026-06-02T20:00:00Z",
      "status": "scheduled",
      "ad_inventory": {
        "expected_breaks": 6,
        "total_ad_seconds": 720,
        "unplanned_breaks": false
      }
    }
  ],
  "delivery_type": "guaranteed",
  "pricing_options": [
    { "pricing_option_id": "flat", "pricing_model": "flat_rate", "fixed_price": 2000000, "currency": "USD" }
  ]
}

get_products response structure

Shows are returned as a top-level shows array in the get_products response, alongside products. Products reference shows by ID instead of embedding them, so the same show is not duplicated when multiple products reference it. The shows array MUST only include shows referenced by the returned products. Under pagination, each page includes all show objects needed for that page’s products.

{
  "shows": [
    {
      "show_id": "pinnacle_challenge",
      "name": "The Pinnacle Challenge",
      "genre": ["IAB1", "IAB1-6"],
      "genre_taxonomy": "iab_content_3.0",
      "content_rating": { "system": "tv_parental", "rating": "TV-PG" },
      "cadence": "weekly",
      "status": "active",
      "talent": [
        { "role": "host", "name": "Jordan Vega", "brand_url": "https://jordanvega.example.com/brand.json" }
      ],
      "distribution": [
        {
          "publisher_domain": "acmestreaming.example.com",
          "identifiers": [{ "type": "imdb_id", "value": "tt9876543" }]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "products": [
    {
      "product_id": "pinnacle_april_bundle",
      "name": "Pinnacle Challenge April Sponsorship",
      "show_ids": ["pinnacle_challenge"],
      "episodes": [
        {
          "episode_id": "s1e03",
          "name": "The Wall",
          "scheduled_at": "2026-04-07T20:00:00Z",
          "status": "scheduled",
          "content_rating": { "system": "tv_parental", "rating": "TV-14" },
          "guest_talent": [{ "role": "guest", "name": "Samira Okafor" }],
          "valid_until": "2026-04-06T20:00:00Z"
        },
        {
          "episode_id": "s1e04",
          "name": "TBD",
          "scheduled_at": "2026-04-14T20:00:00Z",
          "status": "tentative",
          "valid_until": "2026-04-07T20:00:00Z"
        }
      ],
      "placements": [
        { "placement_id": "pre_roll", "name": "Pre-roll" },
        { "placement_id": "mid_roll", "name": "Mid-roll" }
      ],
      "delivery_type": "guaranteed",
      "pricing_options": [
        { "pricing_option_id": "flat", "pricing_model": "flat_rate", "fixed_price": 500000, "currency": "USD" }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Discovery examples

CTV show with episodes

A streaming platform selling sponsorships against a known show with upcoming episodes:

{
  "shows": [
    {
      "show_id": "nova_kitchen",
      "name": "Nova Kitchen",
      "description": "Celebrity cooking competition filmed in real time",
      "genre": ["IAB8", "IAB8-5"],
      "genre_taxonomy": "iab_content_3.0",
      "content_rating": { "system": "tv_parental", "rating": "TV-G" },
      "cadence": "weekly",
      "status": "active",
      "talent": [
        { "role": "host", "name": "Elara Chen" }
      ],
      "distribution": [
        {
          "publisher_domain": "novastreaming.example.com",
          "identifiers": [{ "type": "imdb_id", "value": "tt1122334" }]
        },
        {
          "publisher_domain": "youtube.com",
          "identifiers": [{ "type": "youtube_channel_id", "value": "UCnovakitchen" }]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "products": [
    {
      "product_id": "nova_kitchen_april",
      "name": "Nova Kitchen - April Episodes",
      "show_ids": ["nova_kitchen"],
      "publisher_properties": [{
        "publisher_domain": "novastreaming.example.com",
        "selection_type": "all"
      }],
      "episodes": [
        {
          "episode_id": "s3e09",
          "name": "Fire and Ice",
          "scheduled_at": "2026-04-05T21:00:00Z",
          "status": "scheduled",
          "duration_seconds": 2700,
          "ad_inventory": {
            "expected_breaks": 3,
            "total_ad_seconds": 360,
            "max_ad_duration_seconds": 30,
            "unplanned_breaks": false,
            "supported_formats": ["video"]
          }
        },
        {
          "episode_id": "s3e10",
          "scheduled_at": "2026-04-12T21:00:00Z",
          "status": "tentative",
          "valid_until": "2026-04-06T00:00:00Z"
        }
      ],
      "placements": [
        { "placement_id": "pre_roll", "name": "Pre-roll (15s)" },
        { "placement_id": "mid_roll", "name": "Mid-roll (30s)" }
      ],
      "delivery_type": "guaranteed",
      "pricing_options": [
        { "pricing_option_id": "cpm_fixed", "pricing_model": "cpm", "fixed_price": 38.00, "currency": "USD" }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

A streaming platform offering a main show and its companion after-show, plus highlight clips:

{
  "shows": [
    {
      "show_id": "nova_kitchen",
      "name": "Nova Kitchen",
      "genre": ["IAB8", "IAB8-5"],
      "genre_taxonomy": "iab_content_3.0",
      "content_rating": { "system": "tv_parental", "rating": "TV-G" },
      "status": "active",
      "production_quality": "professional",
      "related_shows": [
        { "show_id": "nova_kitchen_afterhours", "relationship": "companion" }
      ]
    },
    {
      "show_id": "nova_kitchen_afterhours",
      "name": "Nova Kitchen: After Hours",
      "genre": ["IAB8", "IAB8-5"],
      "genre_taxonomy": "iab_content_3.0",
      "content_rating": { "system": "tv_parental", "rating": "TV-PG" },
      "status": "active",
      "production_quality": "prosumer"
    }
  ],
  "products": [
    {
      "product_id": "nova_highlights",
      "name": "Nova Kitchen Highlights Package",
      "show_ids": ["nova_kitchen"],
      "episodes": [
        {
          "episode_id": "s3e09",
          "name": "Fire and Ice",
          "status": "aired",
          "duration_seconds": 2700
        },
        {
          "episode_id": "s3e09_highlights",
          "name": "Fire and Ice - Best Moments",
          "status": "published",
          "duration_seconds": 180,
          "derivative_of": {
            "episode_id": "s3e09",
            "type": "highlight"
          }
        }
      ],
      "placements": [
        { "placement_id": "pre_roll", "name": "Pre-roll (15s)" }
      ],
      "delivery_type": "non_guaranteed",
      "pricing_options": [
        { "pricing_option_id": "cpm", "pricing_model": "cpm", "floor_price": 12.00, "currency": "USD" }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

The highlight clip references its source episode via derivative_of. The companion after-show is linked via related_shows on the main show — buyers targeting Nova Kitchen can discover the after-show as an additional reach opportunity.

Podcast with distribution

A podcast network selling across multiple distribution platforms. The show object captures the full distribution footprint:

{
  "shows": [
    {
      "show_id": "wonderstruck_weekly",
      "name": "Wonderstruck Weekly",
      "genre": ["technology", "business"],
      "content_rating": { "system": "podcast", "rating": "explicit" },
      "cadence": "weekly",
      "status": "active",
      "talent": [
        { "role": "host", "name": "Maren Solberg", "brand_url": "https://marensolberg.example.com/brand.json" }
      ],
      "distribution": [
        {
          "publisher_domain": "spotify.com",
          "identifiers": [{ "type": "spotify_show_id", "value": "4rOoJ6Egrf8K2IrywzwOMk" }]
        },
        {
          "publisher_domain": "apple.com",
          "identifiers": [{ "type": "apple_podcast_id", "value": "1234567890" }]
        },
        {
          "publisher_domain": "youtube.com",
          "identifiers": [{ "type": "youtube_channel_id", "value": "UCwonderstruck" }]
        },
        {
          "publisher_domain": "wonderstruck.example.com",
          "identifiers": [{ "type": "domain", "value": "wonderstruck.example.com" }]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "products": [
    {
      "product_id": "wonderstruck_april",
      "name": "Wonderstruck Weekly - April Episodes",
      "show_ids": ["wonderstruck_weekly"],
      "episodes": [
        {
          "episode_id": "ep47",
          "name": "The future of autonomous supply chains",
          "scheduled_at": "2026-04-07T10:00:00Z",
          "status": "scheduled",
          "guest_talent": [
            { "role": "guest", "name": "Kai Tanaka", "brand_url": "https://kaitanaka.example.com/brand.json" }
          ]
        },
        {
          "episode_id": "ep48",
          "scheduled_at": "2026-04-14T10:00:00Z",
          "status": "tentative"
        },
        {
          "episode_id": "ep49",
          "scheduled_at": "2026-04-21T10:00:00Z",
          "status": "tentative"
        }
      ],
      "placements": [
        { "placement_id": "pre_roll", "name": "Pre-roll (30s)" },
        { "placement_id": "mid_roll", "name": "Mid-roll host read (60s)" }
      ],
      "delivery_type": "guaranteed",
      "pricing_options": [
        { "pricing_option_id": "flat_monthly", "pricing_model": "flat_rate", "fixed_price": 15000, "currency": "USD" },
        { "pricing_option_id": "per_episode", "pricing_model": "flat_rate", "fixed_price": 5000, "currency": "USD" }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Tentative episodes (ep48, ep49) have no names or guest info — they have not been produced yet. The buyer evaluates based on the show’s baseline profile and the known details of ep47.

Live event with tentative episodes

A sports league selling sponsorships against a live event series. Live broadcasts use flexible_end because game duration is unpredictable, and unplanned_breaks because ad breaks follow game flow (timeouts, period breaks) rather than a fixed schedule. The tentative Game 5 depends on the series outcome — it only happens if neither team wins in four games.

{
  "shows": [
    {
      "show_id": "apex_championship_2026",
      "name": "Apex Championship Series 2026",
      "description": "Best-of-five championship finals for the Apex Professional League",
      "genre": ["IAB17", "IAB17-12", "live_event"],
      "genre_taxonomy": "iab_content_3.0",
      "content_rating": { "system": "tv_parental", "rating": "TV-PG" },
      "cadence": "event",
      "season": "2026",
      "status": "active",
      "production_quality": "professional",
      "talent": [
        { "role": "commentator", "name": "Deshawn Moreaux" },
        { "role": "commentator", "name": "Liora Voss" }
      ],
      "distribution": [
        {
          "publisher_domain": "apexleague.example.com",
          "identifiers": [{ "type": "gracenote_id", "value": "EP999000001" }]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "products": [
    {
      "product_id": "apex_finals_sponsorship",
      "name": "Apex Championship Finals — Category Sponsorship",
      "show_ids": ["apex_championship_2026"],
      "episodes": [
        {
          "episode_id": "finals_game4",
          "name": "Game 4: Titan City vs Coastal FC",
          "scheduled_at": "2026-05-18T19:00:00Z",
          "status": "scheduled",
          "flexible_end": true,
          "ad_inventory": {
            "expected_breaks": 8,
            "total_ad_seconds": 960,
            "max_ad_duration_seconds": 30,
            "unplanned_breaks": true,
            "supported_formats": ["video"]
          }
        },
        {
          "episode_id": "finals_game5",
          "name": "Game 5 — If necessary",
          "scheduled_at": "2026-05-21T19:00:00Z",
          "status": "tentative",
          "flexible_end": true,
          "valid_until": "2026-05-19T06:00:00Z",
          "ad_inventory": {
            "expected_breaks": 8,
            "total_ad_seconds": 960,
            "max_ad_duration_seconds": 30,
            "unplanned_breaks": true,
            "supported_formats": ["video"]
          }
        }
      ],
      "placements": [
        { "placement_id": "in_game_overlay", "name": "In-game overlay (10s)" },
        { "placement_id": "halftime", "name": "Halftime feature (60s)" }
      ],
      "delivery_type": "guaranteed",
      "exclusivity": "category",
      "pricing_options": [
        { "pricing_option_id": "per_game", "pricing_model": "flat_rate", "fixed_price": 750000, "currency": "USD" }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

This pattern combines several features designed for live inventory: cadence: "event" signals a non-recurring series, flexible_end tells buyers the broadcast length is approximate, and unplanned_breaks: true indicates ad breaks follow game flow rather than a predetermined schedule. The tentative Game 5 includes valid_until so buyer agents know when to re-query — if the series ends in four games, that episode will resolve to cancelled. Buyers should always check valid_until on tentative episodes before committing budget.

Discovering shows

Buyers discover shows through the standard get_products workflow. Natural language briefs drive show selection:

{
  "buying_mode": "brief",
  "brief": "Podcast sponsorships for technology shows reaching startup founders in April",
  "filters": {
    "channels": ["podcast"],
    "start_date": "2026-04-01",
    "end_date": "2026-04-30"
  }
}

The seller returns products referencing shows from the top-level shows array. There is no separate show discovery endpoint — shows surface through product discovery.

Declaring shows in adagents.json

Publishers can declare shows in their adagents.json file alongside properties. This makes the show catalog discoverable for buyers that crawl adagents.json files. Products in get_products responses reference these same show IDs.

Brand safety

Shows provide a two-level brand safety model: a show baseline and per-episode overrides.

Show baseline

A show’s default brand safety profile comes from:

content_rating — the show’s declared rating system and value
genre — content categories (ideally using genre_taxonomy for machine-readable evaluation)
talent — hosts and recurring cast, with optional brand.json references for deeper evaluation

This is what buyers evaluate when individual episode content is not yet known.

Episode overrides

When episode details are available, they can shift the safety profile:

A content_rating that differs from the show baseline (this week is TV-14 instead of TV-PG)
guest_talent that changes the talent profile (a controversial guest)
topics that add episode-specific content signals

What is not modeled

AdCP does not predict content safety for unknown future episodes. A buyer who commits to “all April episodes” buys based on the show’s baseline profile, accepting variation. The seller’s content standards and the show’s track record are the buyer’s basis for that decision.

Distribution identifiers

Each show’s distribution array maps it to specific publisher platforms with platform-specific identifiers. This enables cross-seller matching: when two different sellers both offer products for the same show, a buyer agent can match them via shared identifiers.

Cross-seller matching

Platform-independent identifiers are the most reliable for deduplication:

Type	Example	Notes
`imdb_id`	`tt1234567`	Universal cross-platform reference
`gracenote_id`	`EP012345678`	Industry standard for TV metadata
`eidr_id`	`10.5240/XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-C`	ISO 10528 for audiovisual content

Shows SHOULD include at least one platform-independent identifier when available.

Platform-specific identifiers

{
  "distribution": [
    {
      "publisher_domain": "spotify.com",
      "identifiers": [{ "type": "spotify_show_id", "value": "4rOoJ6Egrf8K2IrywzwOMk" }]
    },
    {
      "publisher_domain": "apple.com",
      "identifiers": [{ "type": "apple_podcast_id", "value": "1234567890" }]
    },
    {
      "publisher_domain": "feeds.example.com",
      "identifiers": [{ "type": "rss_url", "value": "https://feeds.example.com/show.xml" }]
    }
  ]
}

{
  "distribution": [
    {
      "publisher_domain": "youtube.com",
      "identifiers": [{ "type": "youtube_channel_id", "value": "UCexample123456" }]
    },
    {
      "publisher_domain": "acmestreaming.example.com",
      "identifiers": [{ "type": "amazon_title_id", "value": "B0DFBT5GBP" }]
    }
  ]
}

Available podcast types: apple_podcast_id, spotify_show_id, rss_url, podcast_guid, amazon_music_id, iheart_id, podcast_index_id. Available video/CTV types: youtube_channel_id, youtube_playlist_id, amazon_title_id, roku_channel_id, pluto_channel_id, tubi_id, peacock_id, tiktok_id, twitch_channel. Other: domain, substack_id.

Ad inventory

Episodes declare break-based ad inventory in the ad_inventory object:

Field	Type	Description
`expected_breaks`	integer	Number of planned ad breaks
`total_ad_seconds`	integer	Total seconds of ad time across all breaks
`max_ad_duration_seconds`	integer	Maximum duration for a single ad within a break
`unplanned_breaks`	boolean	`false`: all breaks pre-defined. `true`: breaks driven by live conditions (sports timeouts, live news).
`supported_formats`	string[]	Format types supported in breaks (e.g., `"video"`, `"audio"`)

For non-break ad formats like host reads, custom integrations, or sponsorships, use product placements instead. A podcast product might have a placement for “mid-roll host read (60s)” — that is a placement on the product, not part of ad_inventory.

Relationship to LEAP

The episode model aligns with IAB Tech Lab’s LEAP Forecasting API for live streaming events:

LEAP concept	AdCP equivalent
UpcomingEvent	Episode (`scheduled_at` + `status`)
Content (AdCOM 1.0)	Show metadata (`genre`, `content_rating`, `talent`)
AdInventoryConfiguration	Episode `ad_inventory` + product placements
Event status	Episode `status` (`scheduled`, `tentative`, `cancelled`)
Unplanned breaks	`ad_inventory.unplanned_breaks`
Flexible end time	Episode `flexible_end`

LEAP targets SSP-to-DSP plumbing. AdCP operates at the agent-to-agent negotiation layer where buying decisions happen.

Multi-show bundles

A single product can span multiple shows by listing multiple entries in show_ids. When a product has multiple shows, each episode MUST include show_id so the buyer agent knows which show each episode belongs to.

{
  "shows": [
    { "show_id": "tech_weekly", "name": "Tech Weekly", "genre": ["IAB19"], "genre_taxonomy": "iab_content_3.0", "status": "active" },
    { "show_id": "startup_hour", "name": "The Startup Hour", "genre": ["IAB3"], "genre_taxonomy": "iab_content_3.0", "status": "active" }
  ],
  "products": [
    {
      "product_id": "technet_april_bundle",
      "name": "TechNet Podcast Bundle - April",
      "show_ids": ["tech_weekly", "startup_hour"],
      "episodes": [
        { "episode_id": "tw_ep12", "show_id": "tech_weekly", "scheduled_at": "2026-04-07T10:00:00Z", "status": "scheduled" },
        { "episode_id": "tw_ep13", "show_id": "tech_weekly", "scheduled_at": "2026-04-14T10:00:00Z", "status": "tentative" },
        { "episode_id": "sh_ep30", "show_id": "startup_hour", "scheduled_at": "2026-04-09T14:00:00Z", "status": "scheduled" },
        { "episode_id": "sh_ep31", "show_id": "startup_hour", "scheduled_at": "2026-04-16T14:00:00Z", "status": "tentative" }
      ],
      "delivery_type": "guaranteed",
      "pricing_options": [
        { "pricing_option_id": "bundle", "pricing_model": "flat_rate", "fixed_price": 25000, "currency": "USD" }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Getting Started

Building with AdCP

Protocol

FAQ

Trust & Security

Reference

Certification

Shows and episodes

The show object

The episode object

Episode status lifecycle

Inheritance from shows

How products reference shows

Run-of-show (no specific episodes)

Specific episodes

get_products response structure

Discovery examples

CTV show with episodes

Podcast with distribution

Live event with tentative episodes

Discovering shows

Declaring shows in adagents.json

Brand safety

Show baseline

Episode overrides

What is not modeled

Distribution identifiers

Cross-seller matching

Platform-specific identifiers

Ad inventory

Relationship to LEAP

Multi-show bundles

See also

​The show object

​The episode object

​Episode status lifecycle

​Inheritance from shows

​How products reference shows

​Run-of-show (no specific episodes)

​Specific episodes

​get_products response structure

​Discovery examples

​CTV show with episodes

​Related shows and derivative content

​Podcast with distribution

​Live event with tentative episodes

​Discovering shows

​Declaring shows in adagents.json

​Brand safety

​Show baseline

​Episode overrides

​What is not modeled

​Distribution identifiers

​Cross-seller matching

​Platform-specific identifiers

​Ad inventory

​Relationship to LEAP

​Multi-show bundles

​See also

The show object

The episode object

Episode status lifecycle

Inheritance from shows

How products reference shows

Run-of-show (no specific episodes)

Specific episodes

get_products response structure

Discovery examples

CTV show with episodes

Related shows and derivative content

Podcast with distribution

Live event with tentative episodes

Discovering shows

Declaring shows in adagents.json

Brand safety

Show baseline

Episode overrides

What is not modeled

Distribution identifiers

Cross-seller matching

Platform-specific identifiers

Ad inventory

Relationship to LEAP

Multi-show bundles

See also