Streaming ad spend nears parity with linear TV by 2029
Streaming platforms are absorbing an increasing share of television advertising expenditure, with advertiser spending on streaming projected to reach nearly $20 billion by 2029. This trend, driven by expanding streaming audiences and the popularity of ad-supported streaming models, is expected to be a major focus at upcoming upfront ad-selling events. Advertiser spending on streaming is nearing parity with traditional linear TV ad spending.
Key Takeaways
- Madison and Wall projects U.S. streaming ad spending will reach nearly $20 billion by 2029.
- The estimate puts streaming advertising close to traditional linear TV ad spending by 2029.
- The article says the upfront ad-selling event this week will be a major focus for media and tech giants.
- Ad-supported streaming plans are gaining popularity after the rise of ad-free services like Netflix initially relieved viewers from long commercial breaks.
- The chart excludes political ads and defines traditional TV as network, cable and national syndication.
Why It Matters
Streaming advertising is now close enough to linear TV that it matters in the same budget conversations, not as a niche line item. That changes the economics of upfront selling for media and tech companies, which are using this week’s celebrity-heavy event to court brands across TV networks and streaming platforms. Madison and Wall’s projection that streaming spend reaches nearly $20 billion by 2029 is the clearest marker to watch, along with whether the gap to traditional TV continues to narrow in the firm’s yearly estimates.
Read full article at wsj.com