| All parts of the TV industry need to build better bridges between the traditional and streaming TV worlds. It might seem amazing to some of you that this needs to be said, but I’ll come right out and say it: the “death of linear TV” has been greatly exaggerated. Yes, there’s no denying that viewing habits have changed dramatically. And yes, I’m talking about the rise of streaming. But the reality is far more nuanced than these simplistic narratives suggest. Data tells the real, more complex, story. If you look at eMarketer's figures, for instance, both linear decline and CTV growth have slowed their respective trajectories. Linear TV remains a significant portion of overall viewership, stubbornly maintaining its position even as streaming continues its ascent. What we're witnessing, then, isn’t a complete replacement of TV distribution formats. Rather, it appears that linear and CTV have entered a lengthy period of coexistence. Naturally, that presents unique challenges and opportunities to ad buyers and sellers and everyone in between. Consumers themselves don't make the rigid distinctions we do in the industry. They don’t think of themselves as either “linear viewers” or “CTV viewers.” As always, they simply want to watch what they want, when they want, where they want, whether it's delivered via a traditional cable box or through an internet-connected device. The platform is secondary to the viewing experience itself. And that’s what all parts of the industry need to home in on. The Content Discovery Problem This platform-agnostic consumer viewpoint contrasts sharply with how the industry has structured itself. The proliferation of apps and streaming services has created walled gardens that often make content discovery unnecessarily difficult. The traditional TV guide once provided a clear roadmap to what was available. Now, viewers frequently find themselves hopping between apps, struggling to remember which service offers the show they want to watch, or completely missing new content that would interest them. This fragmentation not only creates a subpar user experience, but also hinders content providers trying to build awareness for their programming. On the advertiser side, this disjointed landscape makes it exceedingly hard to achieve meaningful reach without managing multiple platforms, measurements, and buying processes. The old model of scheduling against a predictable viewing pattern has been replaced by a complex matrix of viewing options, each with its own targeting and measurement methodology. AI and the Future of Audience Targeting Given the myriad ways media consumption habits continue to evolve, traditional demographic targeting methods (i.e., 18-49, household income, gender) are beyond outdated. These broad categories represent human-created personas that don’t accurately reflect the dynamic nature of individual consumers and their behaviors. This is where artificial intelligence is poised to transform television advertising. Instead of relying on crude demographic proxies, AI can help identify actual behavioral patterns and viewing preferences, creating more personalized and effective targeting opportunities. The future isn't about targeting an age bracket but about reaching individuals with specific interests and behaviors that make them receptive to particular messages. Winning in this environment requires access to real viewing behavior data across platforms, combined with the AI capabilities to interpret and activate against that information. Modeled data from small panels don’t cut it anymore. Inferring viewing patterns is slightly better than guessing how people engage with content and the ads supporting it. Creating Value Through Integration For TV advertising to thrive in the middle of all this endless complexity, the industry needs to embrace integration as opposed to competition between platforms. MVPDs and OEMs have an opportunity to serve as connective tissue between linear and streaming experiences, creating a more unified approach to content discovery. Content discovery — helping viewers find what they want to watch or introducing them to new programming they’ll love — represents a massive opportunity for improving both the consumer experience and advertising efficacy. When discovery experiences are thoughtfully designed and contextually relevant, they can achieve something remarkable: advertising that actually enhances rather than interrupts the viewing experience. A survey we’ve done shows that when advertising is integrated appropriately into the discovery experience, audiences respond positively. In fact, 45% of surveyed users reported that properly executed ads actually enhanced their overall experience. That represents a stark contrast to the typical sentiment toward advertising. Ignore False Choices This transitional period belongs to those focused on creating extraordinary experiences for viewers, regardless of how they choose to watch. This requires a flexible approach that acknowledges both the continued importance of linear television and the growing significance of connected platforms. For advertisers, the message is clear: don’t choose between linear and CTV — build bridges between them. For MVPDs and OEMs, success lies in offering solutions that put consumers first, making content discovery seamless across all viewing environments. And for everyone in the ecosystem, the path forward relies on creating value through integration rather than fragmentation. By focusing on the intersection of these worlds rather than treating them as separate domains, we can unlock tremendous value for consumers, content providers, and advertisers alike. The future of television isn't about one platform defeating another; it’s about creating seamless experiences that puts the viewer at the center. |
