Server-side initiation and playback of primary and secondary media content

A system comprising:

• a memory device;
• and
• a processing device coupled to the memory device, the processing device to perform operations comprising:
• receiving, at a server, a request for a media segment of a media stream to be delivered to a client:
• determining, using a server-based timeline of the media stream, whether the requested media segment is to include primary media content or secondary media content, wherein the timeline defines one or more positions in the media stream to include the secondary media content:
• responsive to determining that the requested media segment corresponds to a position of the one or more positions defined in the timeline, obtaining, by the server, a secondary media content item;
• and
• adding a media segment of the secondary media content item to the media stream to provide the requested media segment to the client.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

• receiving, at a server, a request for a media segment of a media stream to be delivered to a client;
• determining, using a server-based timeline of the media stream, whether the requested media segment is to include primary media content or secondary media content, wherein the timeline defines one or more positions in the media stream to include the secondary media content;
• responsive to determining that the requested media segment corresponds to a position of the one or more positions defined in the timeline, obtaining, by the server, a secondary media content item;
• and
• adding a media segment of the secondary media content item to the media stream to provide the requested media segment to the client.