The news: Linear ad impressions declined 4.25% YoY in Q1, falling from about 92% of impressions in early 2023 to around 86% in March 2025, per iSpot’s Q1 TV Ad Transparency Report. Meanwhile, streaming grew its share, reaching nearly 14% of total TV ad impressions, up from its 6% to 8% share in early 2023.

But despite the decline, linear ad spend grew 4% in Q1, reaching $12.34 billion—indicating that while audience preferences are shifting, advertiser interest in linear remains steady.

Why the investment in linear? The main factor driving linear’s growth is that marketers are sharpening their focus on quality outcomes and placements rather than streaming’s metrics capabilities.

• 53% of marketers surveyed said outcomes were the most critical factor in media buying and negotiating decisions, well ahead of value (27%) and verified ad delivery (11%), per the iSpot report.