On today's episode, we discuss whether we're finally back to pre-pandemic travel levels, the most interesting parts of the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show, how best to support LGBT+ causes, if the future of sports is actually streaming, what to make of new state-level data privacy rules, what the best universities in the US are, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Blake Droesch, director of forecasting Oscar Orozco, and vice president of Briefings Stephanie Taglianetti.

The way people watch TV is changing. So are the ways brands advertise on TV. Connected TV has seen “monumental progress in just a handful of years,” said our analyst Ross Benes. But that’s not the full story. Here are key TV behaviors and ad trends to watch in the new year.

Paramount is playing catch-up when it comes to ad innovation: The media giant is exploring a number of initiatives to fuel its aggressive streaming goals.

In response to the shifting advertising landscape, we’ve cut over $5 billion from our US ad spend forecast for 2023, placing it at $278.59 billion. Why the downgrade? Well, for one, last year’s macroeconomic factors are spilling over into this year. And while that may resolve itself in time, there’s another, more permanent issue advertising is facing: privacy changes.

Apple’s sports ambitions take a hit: YouTube TV has won NFL Sunday Ticket rights over the consumer tech giant.

Netflix’s lead in viewership over other services isn’t as large as it once was. But Netflix is still streaming’s king.

As the ad revenue shortfall deepens, social media’s legacy players face new competition for users, a complicated situation with creators, and a social commerce rewind.

Retail and streaming platforms poised to gain digital ad revenue in 2023: Spotify and other newer players in advertising will see faster growth than Meta and Google.

Invigorated travel has reestablished demand for travel credit card perks and benefits. But a recession could reverse gains—requiring premium card issuers to balance travel offerings with everyday utility. This second annual study reveals which of 10 leading premium travel credit cards are best positioned to attract and engage customers, based on their support of 49 emerging features.

There were 559 original scripted TV series made in the US in 2021, according to FX Networks. That’s more than twice the number made a decade prior.

The digital advertising landscape is shifting and it’s every person for themselves in a fight to the top. Let’s get to know the players and place our bets on who will win the battle royale for ad dollars.

We expect 2023 to usher in changes in ad spending, audience, and commerce that will create a new crop of digital leaders.

Global digital video ad revenues will top $360 billion in 2027, according to Omdia. That’s up more than $170 billion from this year. By contrast, video subscription revenues will rise about $30 billion over that period and remain below $120 billion in 2027.

Changing channels: Advertisers adjust their approach to TV as linear viewership falls and video-on-demand takes different forms.

Bob Iger’s second Disney tenure will change its streaming future: The returning CEOs acquisition-heavy strategy could mean further streaming consolidation.

Paramount’s restructuring and layoffs bely their challenged market position: Pluto TV and Paramount+ are attractive streaming assets, but may not be enough to help them increase market share.

Even as we approach a potential ad spend winter, connected TV (CTV) advertising is in decent shape. Netflix and Disney+ just joined the ad-supported streaming game. Cord-cutters are outpacing pay TV viewers. And YouTube is increasingly watched on CTVs. These five charts offer a closer look at CTV’s past, present, and future.

“As TV takes on more elements of digital, institutional barriers around those centers of knowledge are being broken down, and TV and digital teams are being integrated,” said our analyst Evelyn Mitchell on our “Behind the Numbers: The Daily” podcast. But “institutional change takes time.”

Apple's streaming price hikes test their brand equity: The tech giant's audio and video services are getting more expensive; will consumers grin and bear it?

Ahead of Spotify reporting its third-quarter earnings this afternoon, here’s a little recap of what the platform has been up to over the past few months. Plus, our thoughts on the moves.