US linear TV ad spending will hit $68.35 billion this year and fall to $64.94 billion in 2026. Despite that decline, ad spending on linear and connected TV (CTV) combined will increase from $87.24 billion this year to more than $100 billion in 2026 due to the surge in CTV viewing.

On today's episode, we discuss how inflation is changing consumer behavior, whether 15-minute delivery is too good to be true, the potential of Apple's realityOS, how much of the information shoppers give retailers is false, the ceiling to spending time on TikTok, an unpopular opinion about buying things from TV ads, pets' roles in Americans' lives, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our senior director of Briefings Stephanie Taglianetti, director of reports editing Rahul Chadha, and director of forecasting Oscar Orozco.

For growth marketers, TV advertising is a logical path forward, offering massive reach, efficiency, and returns. A typical campaign investment of $150,000 may deliver over 30 million impressions and reach upwards of 15 million people.

On today's episode, we discuss what our analysts think will be the key digital trends of 2022. Where we stand with our digital advertising outlook, how far the pendulum will swing towards AVOD services, when TV and video ad measurement will cease being a hot mess, and more. We then talk about whether video streaming growth has officially stalled and if Univision can bring the immediacy of digital measurement to TV ads. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Paul Verna.

This dynamic, plus a scarcity of inventory on CTV, is pushing TV ad prices upward. We are monitoring the impact of external forces on the ad market. Inflation, supply chain issues, market turmoil, and global conflict have so far spared the US TV ad industry.

CTV experienced a boom in advertiser investment during this period, as quarantined viewers streamed digital videos at unprecedented levels—but the TV ad market took a hit. Last year, advertiser activity was closer to normal. TV advertising did not reach its pre-pandemic heights—but it got close—and upfront spending picked up to levels that broadcasters were more accustomed to.

While traditional TV ad spending will struggle for growth in the coming years, digital video will not. A portion of digital video spend will go to the nascent CTV space, but traditional broadcasters are also developing their own streaming services (with BVOD ad spend rising at a far faster rate than traditional TV spend). Overall, the advertising opportunity for CTV remains small.

US spending on linear TV ads will peak this year at $68.35 billion, up from $65.66 billion in 2021. This figure will not surpass $68 billion again for the next four years, with TV ad spend dropping to $64.94 billion in 2026 as its share of total media ad spend decreases as well.