The news: Linear TV—already struggling amid the rise of digital—is at risk as US leaders across parties push for a crackdown on the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical ad market.

• Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is pursuing policies that would require advertisers to disclose drug side effects more transparently or risk losing the ability to deduct ad spending from their taxes, per Bloomberg.
• Meanwhile, Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Angus King (I-ME) are pushing the End Prescription Drug Ads Now Act, which would ban direct-to-consumer pharma ads across linear, digital, social media, print, and radio.
• While a total ban is seen as unlikely, experts cited by The Wrap say new disclosure requirements could strain advertisers and networks targeting older viewers, as longer and costlier ads would reduce available inventory.

The risk to linear: While politicians across the board support additional limitations on pharma ads, the move places the struggling linear sector at heightened risk.