Traditional TV Advertising Guide: What Works Now in Linear TV Ads

Linear TV Advertising (often called traditional TV advertising) remains a cornerstone of mass media marketing even as digital streaming rises. In 2025, brands are re-evaluating how linear TV fits into a converged TV landscape. This guide offers a comprehensive overview of linear TV advertising, how it works, how it compares to emerging TV channels like CTV, OTT, and streaming, and how a hybrid approach can amplify results. We’ll also cover key metrics, benefits, and challenges of linear TV ads in today’s era.

Linear TV Advertising Market Snapshot

Despite the surge in digital streaming, linear TV is still a significant player. Linear TV continues to deliver unparalleled reach. Ad investment in linear remains substantial (over $60 billion annually in the US), though spending is on a slow decline, forecast to drop from $60.6 billion in 2024 to $56.8 billion by 2027 as budgets gradually shift toward digital mediums.

At the same time, viewer behavior is hitting a tipping point. Streaming platforms recently overtook linear TV in total viewership time. According to Nielsen data, streaming captured 44.8% of TV viewing in May 2025, slightly edging out linear TV’s 44.2% share for the first time. This historic flip illustrates how cord-cutting and on-demand viewing are eroding traditional TV’s dominance. (For a broader overview of different TV advertising formats, see our post on Types of TV Advertising). Still, linear TV retains a massive audience – nearly half of the US population continues to tune in to scheduled programming, which makes it an enduring channel for advertisers when used strategically.

What Is Linear TV Advertising and How Does It Work?

Linear TV Advertising is the traditional method of airing television commercials during scheduled programming on broadcast or cable TV channels. In a linear setup, content is delivered in a fixed, sequential schedule (“linear” refers to this straight-line schedule). Viewers must tune in at specific broadcast times to watch a show, and ads play at predetermined commercial breaks during those programs. In short, linear advertisers buy ad slots on TV networks, and every viewer watching that program in that time slot sees the same ad simultaneously, just like in the classic era of TV.

How it works: Linear TV advertising relies on the decades-old broadcast infrastructure and media buying process. Here’s an overview of how linear TV ads are planned and delivered:

• Scheduled Programming & Dayparting: Ads are inserted into TV programs that run on a set schedule. Networks organize content into dayparts (e.g., morning news, daytime, prime time, late night) and advertisers choose programs or time blocks that best match their target audience’s viewing habits. For example, a family brand might buy spots during weekend cartoons, while a luxury car maker targets prime time dramas. This scheduled nature means viewers encounter ads passively as they watch scheduled shows, unlike choosing to watch an ad (or skipping it) in digital formats.

• Media Buying (Upfronts & Scatter): Purchasing linear TV ads typically happens in two ways – the upfront market or the scatter market. In the upfront market, advertisers make bulk ad buys months in advance (typically each spring for the upcoming fall TV season), locking in inventory on top networks and shows. These upfront buys guarantee placements (often at lower rates) for the advertiser, but require long lead times and upfront commitment. The scatter market refers to buying any remaining or unsold TV inventory closer to the air date, allowing more flexibility (but often at a higher cost). In both cases, linear buys are usually negotiated against broad audience ratings (e.g., a show’s expected Nielsen rating in the target DMA or national audience). This means targeting is based on show genre, time slot, and demographic Reach rather than individual viewer data.

• Broad Targeting & DMA Coverage: Traditional linear TV has limited targeting precision. Ads are broadly delivered to all viewers of a given program or channel. Targeting primarily uses geography (national vs. local ads in specific Designated Market Areas (DMAs)) and coarse demographics (e.g., adults 18–49 on a particular network). Every household watching a show in a region sees the same ad. More granular targeting isn’t the norm – although addressable linear TV is emerging, where some cable/satellite providers can insert different ads to different households during the same program. Such linear addressable TV and even linear programmatic TV (automated, data-driven buying of linear spots) are new innovations aiming to reduce waste, but these solutions still have comparatively limited scale and are not yet mainstream.

• Ad Formats & Placement: Linear TV ads are typically 30-second or 15-second spots (with some 60s or other lengths) that run during commercial breaks. Networks allocate a certain number of ad minutes per hour (e.g., 12–16 minutes of ads per hour in traditional TV). Advertisers secure a slot in those breaks. Non-skippable Ads: One advantage here – viewers watching live cannot skip these commercials, as they’re embedded in the broadcast. (However, viewers who record via DVR or watch on demand later can fast-forward, which is a caveat.) Ads air to a mass audience simultaneously, often reaching millions at once, especially during popular programs or events.

• Measurement & Metrics: The success of linear campaigns is measured by classical TV metrics provided by firms like Nielsen. Nielsen uses panels of sample households to estimate viewership for each program, yielding ratings points that indicate what percentage of the population watched (e.g., a Nielsen rating of 1.0 means 1% of households watched the program). Key metrics (explained more in the metrics section) include Reach (the number or % of people who saw the ad), Frequency (how many times on average they saw it), and GRPs (Gross Rating Points, the sum of audience points – essentially reach × frequency). Media planners use these metrics to judge if a campaign delivered enough exposure. Because linear lacks user-level tracking, performance is often gauged in aggregate (GRPs, CPP or Cost Per Point, etc.) and through indirect outcomes (spikes in web traffic during the TV flight, brand lift studies, etc.).

Summary: In essence, a linear TV ad campaign involves selecting the right TV channels/programs (matching your audience), booking ad slots in those shows (often via upfront commitments or last-minute scatter buys), and then broadcasting your commercial to all viewers tuned in. The process emphasizes scheduled programming, broad Reach, and established buying rituals, as opposed to the on-demand, highly targeted nature of digital ads. (Learn more about streaming-based TV ads in our guide to Streaming TV Advertising, and see how linear differs from Connected TV advertising and OTT advertising in the comparisons below).

Linear TV vs Other TV Advertising Types

Television advertising now comes in many flavors – beyond linear broadcasts, we have Connected TV (CTV), OTT streaming, and other digital TV options. It’s important to understand how linear compares to these “non-linear” TV types:

Linear TV vs. Connected TV (CTV) Advertising

Connected TV (CTV) refers to ads delivered via internet streaming on television screens. This includes smart TVs, Roku/Fire TV, gaming consoles – any device that streams content to a TV. The key differences between linear and CTV are:

• Content Delivery: Linear TV is broadcast in real-time on cable/satellite or over-the-air channels according to a schedule. Viewers have to watch what’s “on” at that moment. CTV, by contrast, delivers content on demand through apps – viewers choose shows on platforms like Hulu, Peacock, or YouTube TV whenever they want. CTV ads appear within these streaming shows (often as pre-roll or mid-roll breaks), not tied to a network’s fixed schedule.

• Targeting & Data: Linear ads reach a broad audience with minimal targeting – essentially by channel, show, or geography (everyone watching sees the same ad). CTV advertising uses digital data to target specific audiences. Advertisers can apply granular targeting criteria on CTV, such as age, interests, location down to ZIP code, and even behaviors (e.g., show viewers related to your product). This precision is a major advantage of CTV – in one survey, 84% of advertisers said CTV’s targeting is superior to linear’s blunt approach. CTV campaigns also provide impression-level tracking and detailed analytics (views, clicks, conversions) more akin to online advertising, whereas linear relies on panel-based estimates and lacks direct attribution.

• Ad Buying Flexibility: Traditional linear buys often require minimum spend commitments and are sold in bulk (especially national TV). CTV can be bought programmatically with small budgets, even one impression at a time, making it accessible to a wider range of advertisers. Cost structures differ: linear typically has lower CPMs (around $10–$20) but significant waste, while CTV CPMs are higher (often $30+ due to finite inventory) but with less waste due to better targeting. In essence, linear = broad but less precise, CTV = precise but potentially more costly per viewer.

• Ad Experience: On linear TV, ad breaks are longer (several minutes of various ads) and viewers expect frequent interruptions. On CTV, ad loads tend to be lighter – e.g., 4–6 minutes of ads per hour on many ad-supported streamers – and often unskippable as well. Both linear and CTV generally have non-skippable ads (unless a viewer pays for ad-free plans on streaming services). However, CTV unlocks new interactive formats (clickable or shoppable ads, QR codes, etc.) that linear TV cannot do due to one-way broadcast.

Bottom line: Linear TV vs CTV is essentially mass reach vs. targeted Reach. Linear excels at quickly reaching millions (for broad brand awareness), whereas CTV excels at targeting and performance tracking (reaching the right households with measurable outcomes). Smart advertisers often use both in tandem, which we discuss in the hybrid approach below. (For a deep dive into CTV advertising, read our CTV Advertising Guide).

Linear TV vs. OTT Advertising

OTT (Over-The-Top) advertising refers to any ads delivered via streaming over the internet on any device, not just TVs. OTT includes CTV (streaming on a TV set) but also encompasses streaming on laptops, tablets, mobile phones, etc. In other words, OTT is the broader category of internet-delivered TV content, and CTV is a subset focusing on the TV screen. Comparing linear TV to OTT:

• Scheduled vs. On-Demand: Linear TV is scheduled one-to-many broadcasting via cable/satellite/antenna. OTT is on-demand and unbundled – content comes through apps or services (Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, etc.) where viewers can start shows anytime, pause, binge episodes, etc. For advertisers, this means linear guarantees a simultaneous audience (e.g., everyone watching the 8 pm news sees your ad at 8:15 pm), whereas OTT audiences are dispersed across different content and times (one viewer might see your ad in a show at 3 pm, another at 9 pm, depending on their streaming habits).

• Platforms and Devices: Linear ads appear on traditional TV channels/networks. OTT ads can appear within streaming content on a variety of devices – not only on connected TVs, but also in streaming apps on smartphones, tablets, or computers. This multi-device viewing leads to audience fragmentation: linear TV once commanded the living room, but now viewers split time across devices. Reaching a big audience via OTT often requires buying across many apps and platforms. Linear still aggregates a mass audience on relatively few networks at key times (like major broadcast networks during prime time or sports).

• Ad Targeting & Measurement: Similar to CTV, OTT advertising offers advanced targeting and data. Advertisers can use programmatic exchanges to reach OTT viewers based on user data, retarget users across devices, and measure ad delivery in real-time. Linear lacks such granularity. Metrics like impressions, clicks, and attributions are standard in OTT. However, measurement across linear + OTT can be challenging – many marketers struggle to unify metrics from traditional TV and streaming campaigns. Newer solutions are emerging to bridge linear and OTT metrics (including products from Skybeam), but historically, linear’s success was measured in GRPs while OTT uses digital KPIs like completion rate, making direct comparisons tricky. (For more on OTT advertising and metrics, see our primer on OTT Advertising 101).

In summary, Linear vs OTT comes down to old guard vs new guard: Linear is one-way broadcast on a TV set, OTT is internet-delivered content on any screen. OTT ads give flexibility and precision, whereas linear ads give scale and communal viewing (especially for live events). Both have their place in a balanced TV ad strategy.

Linear TV vs. Streaming TV (Digital Streaming)

The term “Streaming TV” generally refers to watching television content via internet streaming (which includes OTT and CTV). Comparing linear vs streaming in a broad sense:

• Viewer Control: Linear TV requires viewers to watch what the network schedules at a given time. Streaming TV puts control in the viewer’s hands – viewers pick what to watch and when, from vast libraries on services like Netflix, Disney+, or ad-supported platforms. As a result, appointment viewing (tuning in at a set time) is less common among streaming audiences. Advertisers on linear can capitalize on appointment viewing (e.g., everyone watching a season finale live), whereas on streaming, viewership is asynchronous (spread out over time).

• Ad Skippability and Avoidance: Traditional linear viewing (live) doesn’t allow skipping ads, but streaming viewers often have options to avoid ads. They might pay for premium tiers with no ads, or use DVR-like features on some services. However, on ad-supported streaming services, most ads are still unskippable (you can’t fast-forward through an ad on Hulu’s basic plan, for example). The bigger issue for advertisers is that streaming offers ad-free environments that linear does not (e.g., Netflix’s premium plan, HBO’s ad-free option). So a portion of the streaming audience may be completely unreachable via ads, whereas linear TV by definition is an ad-supported medium (aside from public broadcasting). This means linear guarantees some exposure (if people watch TV, they inevitably see some ads), while streaming audiences can sometimes opt out of advertising entirely.

• Live Content & Events: Live broadcasts (sports, news, major events) have traditionally been linear TV’s stronghold. Streaming services are increasingly securing rights to live sports and events, but linear TV often still draws the largest live audiences due to ease of access and habit (think Super Bowl on broadcast TV, live news on cable networks, etc.). Latency and reliability issues can plague streaming of live events (lagging behind real-time, or buffering), so many viewers stick with linear for critical live content. For advertisers, this means linear remains the top choice for real-time mass reach events. Streaming live events may reach fewer concurrent viewers or be spread across different apps, whereas a linear broadcast on a major network aggregates millions in one moment. That’s why big brands still pour money into live sports on linear TV – those eyeballs are hard to replicate elsewhere.

In essence, linear vs streaming is scheduled vs on-demand, unified vs fragmented audience, and ads guaranteed vs ads optional. Linear TV offers the predictability of reaching a broad audience at a known time (with the trade-off of less targeting), while streaming offers flexibility and targeting, but with potential gaps in Reach and ad exposure. Most modern TV campaigns recognize the value of both and allocate budgets accordingly. (For more on streaming-focused advertising strategies, read our guide on Streaming TV Advertising.)

Linear + CTV: The Hybrid “Brandformance” Approach

Rather than choosing linear vs. digital outright, many advertisers are adopting a hybrid approach that combines Linear TV + Connected TV to get the best of both worlds. This blended strategy is sometimes called “brandformance” TV – using linear for brand awareness and CTV for performance and precision, thereby covering the full marketing funnel.

Why combine linear and CTV? Each channel complements the other’s strengths and offsets weaknesses:

• Maximized Reach: Linear can deliver mass reach quickly, especially among older and broad audiences, while CTV extends reach into younger demographics and cord-cutters who no longer watch traditional TV. Studies show that campaigns using both linear and CTV can achieve up to 32% higher total Reach than linear alone, by capturing those viewers who can’t be reached with traditional TV. In other words, adding CTV boosts incremental Reach among streaming-only households, while linear covers audiences that may not be on streaming platforms.

• Full-Funnel Impact: With linear TV’s broad Reach, brands can drive top-of-funnel awareness – e.g., a national TV spot can instantly make millions aware of a new product. CTV, on the other hand, excels at lower-funnel engagement – its targeting and interactivity allow for retargeting website visitors with a TV ad, showing different creatives to different audience segments, and even driving direct actions (like clickable ads or QR codes for app downloads). By synchronizing linear and CTV, a brand can both broadcast its message widely and reinforce it with targeted follow-ups, driving consumers down the funnel from awareness to conversion. For instance, a viewer might see an inspiring brand ad on linear TV, then later encounter a more personalized, action-oriented ad on their streaming service that encourages them to visit the website or use a promo code.

• Unified Planning & Measurement: The hybrid approach does pose a challenge – coordinating buys and measuring results across two very different channels. However, advanced platforms (like Skybeam’s unified TV advertising platform) are emerging to solve this. These platforms allow advertisers to plan linear and CTV campaigns together, ensuring frequency management (so consumers aren’t over-exposed to the same ad) and holistic reporting on combined Reach and impact. The result is a more efficient use of ad budget – reducing waste from linear’s overlap and maximizing unique Reach with CTV’s precision. It transforms TV advertising into a more agile, data-driven effort without losing the scale of traditional TV.

In practice, Linear+CTV hybrid campaigns are proving very effective. Brands get the credibility and splash of TV, along with the accountability of digital. For example, a brand might run linear ads on national networks to build buzz, while concurrently running CTV ads that geo-target or audience-target specific segments (e.g., showing a different call-to-action to viewers in different cities or tailoring the message to different age groups). The linear ensures the brand stays top-of-mind broadly, and the CTV drives interested viewers to take the next step, all measured in near-real-time.

Skybeam’s Perspective: At Skybeam, we believe the future of TV advertising is convergence. Our platform enables this hybrid brandformance strategy by offering both linear and digital TV inventory in one place. Advertisers can seamlessly buy and optimize across traditional linear spots and programmatic CTV within a unified dashboard. This means no more silos – you can execute a coordinated campaign where linear builds mass awareness and CTV delivers performance results, all tracked together. By combining linear scale with CTV’s targeting, brands achieve maximum impact and ROI on their TV ad spend.

Key Linear TV Advertising Metrics

Measuring traditional TV campaigns requires understanding a unique set of metrics that have been industry standards for decades. Here’s a quick introduction (for a deep dive into digital TV metrics, check out our posts on OTT Advertising Metrics and Streaming TV Ad Metrics 101). The main linear TV metrics include:

• Reach: In TV terms, Reach is the number of unique viewers (or households) exposed to an ad at least once. It’s often expressed as a percentage of a target population or as an absolute number of households. For example, a 70% reach means 70% of the target audience saw the commercial at least one time during the campaign. High Reach indicates broad exposure – linear TV is great for achieving high Reach quickly because of its broad audiences.

• Frequency: Frequency is the average number of times each person (or household) saw the ad. If your campaign had a reach of 70% and delivered 210 gross rating points, that implies an average frequency of 3 exposures (since 70% × 3 = 210 GRPs; see GRP below). Managing frequency is important – too low and viewers might not recall the message; too high and you waste budget on repeated exposures (ad fatigue). In linear TV buying, frequency often comes as a byproduct of buying multiple spots over time; advertisers aim for an optimal frequency (e.g., 3-5) to reinforce the message without excessive repetition.

• GRP (Gross Rating Points): GRP is a foundational metric in TV advertising that represents the total exposure level of an ad campaign. One rating point equals 1% of the target audience (usually the total TV household population, or a specific demographic group) watching the program. Gross Rating Points are calculated as Reach (% of audience reached) × Average Frequency. For example, if a campaign reaches 50% of the audience at an average frequency of 4, it delivers 200 GRPs. GRPs can also be calculated by summing the individual ratings of each ad spot (hence “gross” points). Media planners use GRPs to gauge the weight of a campaign – higher GRPs mean more eyeball impressions in total. It’s important to note GRPs double-count people who saw the ad multiple times (that’s the “gross” part), so it’s a measure of total impressions relative to population, not unique Reach. GRP is useful for comparing the delivery of different TV plans and is often tied to cost via CPP.

• CPP (Cost Per Point): CPP is the Cost Per Rating Point. It tells advertisers how much money it takes to reach 1% of the audience (or deliver one rating point). For instance, if a 30-second ad spot costs $50,000 and it has a 5.0 Nielsen rating (meaning 5% of households), the CPP is $50,000 / 5 = $10,000 per point. Advertisers and media buyers use CPP to evaluate the efficiency of TV buys: a lower CPP means you’re reaching each 1% of the audience for less money. CPP can vary by network, program, and time – a prime time drama might have a higher CPP than an afternoon talk show, for example, because prime time spots are more coveted. Planners might shift budgets to programs with better CPPs to maximize the budget. (In digital terms, CPP is analogous to CPM, but specifically tied to the percentage of TV audience.)

• Nielsen Ratings: This refers to the audience measurement ratings provided by Nielsen, which are the currency of linear TV advertising. A Nielsen rating represents the percentage of the defined audience watching a program. For example, a Nielsen TV rating of 1.0 indicates 1% of all TV households were tuned to that program on average. Nielsen also provides share (percentage of TVs in use that were tuned to the program) and more granular demographic ratings (e.g., rating among Adults 18-49). These ratings are critical because ad prices are often negotiated based on expected ratings. If a show under-delivers its anticipated rating, networks may have to give makegoods (compensation in the form of additional ad time) to advertisers. Nielsen ratings also underpin the calculation of Reach and GRPs for a campaign. While Nielsen has been the gold standard for decades, the rise of streaming has led to new measurement challenges, and Nielsen is evolving its methods to include digital viewership. For now, any linear TV advertiser must understand Nielsen ratings, as they indicate how many people your ad potentially reached during a given airing.

Together, these metrics allow advertisers to plan and evaluate a linear TV campaign’s performance. For example, an auto brand might aim for 150 GRPs among Adults 25-54 in a month, with an expected reach of 50% at a frequency of 3. If the Nielsen ratings come in lower than expected (reducing Reach or GRPs), the advertiser knows the campaign under-delivered and can seek adjustments. While linear metrics don’t directly show sales or conversions, they provide a standardized way to quantify exposure. Many advertisers also supplement these with brand lift studies or track indirect signals (website visits during the TV flight, search trends, etc.) to gauge impact beyond the raw ratings.

(Note: As TV and digital converge, advertisers are looking for unified metrics. Concepts like cross-platform Reach and outcomes-based KPIs are emerging, but the above terms remain core to traditional TV planning. See our article on Streaming TV Ad Metrics for how digital metrics complement these classic TV measures).

Linear TV Advertising Benefits

Linear TV may be “traditional,” but it offers distinct advantages that are still highly valued by marketers. Key benefits include:

• Mass Audience Reach: Linear TV can reach millions of viewers simultaneously in a way few other channels can. Big broadcast networks and popular cable programs aggregate huge audiences at once – for example, major sporting events, season premieres, or live contests can draw tens of millions of viewers in real time. This mass reach is ideal for brands aiming to build broad awareness quickly. In fact, linear TV still accounts for the majority of ad impressions in the TV space. One report noted that linear TV delivers roughly 6× the ad impressions of CTV platforms, highlighting that if you need to get a message out on a national scale, linear is unparalleled. For advertisers launching a new product nationally or trying to become a household name, linear’s scale is a huge benefit.

• Non-Skippable Ad Exposure: In live linear TV, viewers typically cannot skip the commercials – unlike many digital formats where skipping or ad-blocking is common. When someone is watching their favorite show “live” on broadcast, they are a captive audience during the ad breaks. Every person watching will see (and hear) your full 15 or 30-second spot (barring them leaving the room!). This is valuable in an age where consumers often skip YouTube ads or scroll past online banners. Linear TV’s ad format is entrenched; viewers expect commercials and generally tolerate them as part of the TV experience. DVR and on-demand viewing do introduce some ad-skipping (many DVR users fast-forward through recorded TV ads), but with time-sensitive content like sports or news, a large portion of the audience watches live. The bottom line: linear guarantees your ad is at least played in front of the audience, which increases the chances of attention and ad recall compared to skippable digital ads.

• Live Event Dominance: Linear TV dominates live events – think live sports (NFL games, the Olympics, World Cup), award shows (Oscars, Grammys), breaking news, and big reality TV finales. These events often draw the largest TV audiences, and they happen in real-time, which is where linear shines (streaming such events often has delays or fragmented viewing). For advertisers, live events are goldmines for Reach and engagement. Viewers are highly engaged (nobody wants to miss the big play or real-time outcome), and many watch live events in groups, which can amplify an ad’s impact (the so-called “water-cooler effect” where everyone talks about that Super Bowl ad the next day). Linear TV is still the go-to for these cultural moments – e.g., the Super Bowl remains the most-watched TV event in the US each year on linear TV, often topping 100 million viewers. Brands value the halo effect of being present during prestigious live broadcasts. Also, live viewers are less likely to channel-surf during ads for fear of missing the return of the event, so they often stick through the commercials.

• Brand Credibility & Impact: There is a certain prestige and credibility associated with advertising on traditional TV. Decades of consumer behavior research indicate that appearing on established TV networks (major broadcast networks or top cable channels) can elevate a brand’s stature. Viewers subconsciously attribute a level of success and trust to brands they see “on TV.” The high production values and rigorous standards of TV ads also lend creative impact – a well-crafted TV commercial on a big HD screen can evoke emotion and storytelling in ways small digital ads often cannot. Furthermore, linear TV often pairs your ad with high-quality content (popular shows, respected newscasts), providing brand-safe, contextually relevant placements that can enhance your message. All of this contributes to linear ads often having a strong influence on brand recall and perception. For example, a consumer might think, “If this company can advertise on prime time TV, they must be a serious, trustworthy brand.” While digital advertising offers precision, it doesn’t always convey that same mass-media gravitas that TV does.

In short, linear TV advertising’s benefits revolve around scale, impact, and reliability. It’s a one-to-many broadcast medium that can make a big splash, command attention (in the living room on a big screen with sound), and confer legitimacy. That’s why, even in 2025, brands from auto makers to tech giants still allocate significant budget to traditional TV alongside their digital efforts.

Linear TV Advertising Challenges

On the flip side, linear TV comes with several challenges and limitations, especially in a changing media environment. Key challenges include:

• Limited Measurement & Attribution: Measuring linear TV impact is difficult compared to digital channels. Advertisers must rely on sample-based ratings (e.g., Nielsen panels) to estimate how many people saw their ad, and those metrics are limited in granularity. You don’t get instant feedback or detailed data like you do with online ads (no click-through rates or direct attribution to a sale). Linking a TV ad to business outcomes involves fuzzy correlations or expensive brand lift studies. In an age where digital marketers track every click, linear’s measurement feels blunt. Nielsen is evolving to include some streaming and set-top-box data, but there’s still no precise way to know, for example, how many people went to your website because they saw a specific TV spot. Multi-touch attribution models often struggle to credit TV properly. This lack of real-time, actionable analytics makes it harder for advertisers to optimize linear campaigns on the fly – you can’t easily A/B test TV ads or immediately double down on what’s working. The delay in getting ratings data (which can be days or weeks later for finalized numbers) also means slower learning cycles.

• Declining Viewership & Cord-Cutting: Perhaps the biggest challenge – the linear TV audience is shrinking as viewers migrate to streaming. Each year, more people “cut the cord” (cancel cable/satellite subscriptions) or never subscribe in the first place (the “cord-nevers,” often younger consumers). This leads to lower ratings for many TV programs and fewer eyeballs for advertisers. To illustrate, over 30 million US households have abandoned traditional pay TV since 2019, dropping total cable/satellite households to about 68 million. This trend hit a milestone in 2025 when streaming platforms’ share of viewing surpassed linear TV for the first time – streaming captured 44.8% of total TV usage vs. 44.2% for linear (broadcast + cable). In plain terms, half of TV viewership has moved online. Declining viewership means advertisers get less Reach for the same cost on linear over time, or they have to spend more to maintain the same GRPs as before. It also means certain coveted demographics (like adults 18-34) are very hard to reach purely on linear now – many of them simply aren’t watching traditional TV. This erosion of linear audiences is forcing advertisers to rethink allocations and is a key driver of the hybrid strategies mentioned earlier.

• High Costs & Less Targeting Precision: Linear TV advertising can be prohibitively expensive, especially for small or mid-sized advertisers. A national TV spot in a hit prime time show can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars for just 30 seconds, not including production costs for the commercial itself. Even local TV ads, while cheaper, can add up and still mostly blanket an entire city or region. These high entry costs mean linear often has a high waste factor – you pay to reach a lot of people outside your target. For example, an ad on a national news program might reach millions, but if only a fraction are your prospective customers, you still paid for all of them. Unlike digital ads, where you can target say “women 25-34 interested in fitness,” on linear, you largely get broad demos like “Adults 25-54 watching XYZ Show,” which includes many uninterested viewers. The result is less efficient spending and media waste – your Cost Per Conversion will often be higher on linear because of this untargeted spillover. Additionally, the inflexibility of buys (booked months out, fixed airtimes) means you can’t easily shift or optimize the budget if one part of the campaign underperforms. This lack of agility and precision can be a major drawback in today’s ROI-focused marketing environment.

• Ad Skipping via DVR/Time-Shift: While live TV ads are unskippable, the reality is that many viewers don’t watch everything live. The prevalence of DVRs (digital video recorders) and on-demand viewing means a significant chunk of the audience might watch the program later and fast-forward through commercials. Estimates vary, but in popular shows, a sizable percentage of viewership can be time-shifted (watched within 3-7 days later, for example). These viewers often skip ads entirely. From an advertiser’s perspective, that’s a lost impression (though Nielsen’s C3 and C7 ratings attempt to account for commercial viewership within 3 or 7 days, they can’t force people not to skip). Additionally, video-on-demand versions of shows sometimes have fewer ads or allow limited skipping. The net effect is that not all who watch the content will watch your ad, even if they recorded the show. This undermines the non-skippable advantage of linear to some degree. It’s especially a problem for drama/entertainment programming, where many prefer to binge later; it’s less of an issue for sports/news, which are mostly consumed live.

• Long Lead Times & Creative Rigidity: Executing a linear TV campaign requires long lead times and planning. The creative (the TV commercial) typically takes significant time and budget to produce – concepting, shooting, editing, and approvals can take weeks or months. Once booked, the media placement itself often has to be arranged well in advance (particularly in the upfront marketplace). This makes linear advertising less responsive; you can’t whip up a new TV spot and have it on air tomorrow if you see a real-time opportunity (whereas digital campaigns can pivot in hours or days). Moreover, changing a linear campaign mid-flight is difficult – if sales data suggests tweaking the message, you may be stuck with the ads you’ve already distributed to networks. In contrast, digital campaigns allow for on-the-fly adjustments and creative swaps. These longer timelines also mean less agility in messaging; for example, if a competitor launches a new feature, you might not be able to quickly respond via TV. Finally, linear ads typically require adherence to broadcast standards and clearance, adding to the time and complexity. In a fast-moving market, this lack of agility and the commitment needed for TV can be seen as a disadvantage compared to the flexibility of online advertising.

Despite these challenges, it’s worth noting that many of them are being addressed with new technologies and strategies. For instance, better attribution models (using smart TVs or automatic content recognition data) are emerging to tie TV ads to website visits, and programmatic linear TV is starting to make TV buying more flexible.

Conclusion

Linear TV advertising in 2025 is at a crossroads: it’s a traditional media powerhouse with unmatched Reach and cultural impact, yet it’s evolving within a rapidly digitalizing ecosystem. As we’ve seen, linear TV still plays a vital role in building mass awareness and credibility – it’s far from “dead.” However, the rise of streaming and CTV means that to get the best results, brands should integrate linear with new TV platforms. The most effective campaigns now blend the old and the new: leveraging the scale and live event dominance of linear television, while harnessing the targeting and measurability of connected TV and OTT.

In summary, Linear TV advertising remains a powerful tool for broad reach and brand building, especially when used smartly in a hybrid strategy. As consumer behavior shifts, the future lies in converged TV advertising, where linear and streaming work hand-in-hand. With platforms like Skybeam’s bringing linear and digital buys together, advertisers can confidently navigate this new landscape. The result is a true 360° TV advertising strategy that honors the proven effectiveness of traditional TV while embracing innovation, ensuring that your message reaches the right audience (whether they’re watching via a cable box or a streaming stick) and delivers real business results in the modern age.

Skybeam offers a unified local TV advertising solution to do exactly that, enabling brands to plan, execute, and measure linear + CTV campaigns seamlessly. As you plan your 2026 media mix, consider linear TV not as a standalone channel, but as a critical component of a holistic TV advertising approach that drives both brand and performance.