TV in 2026: The Future of Advertising's Most Powerful Channel

TV advertising is evolving at record speed. Streaming platforms are launching ad-supported tiers, sports rights are fragmenting across networks, and political ad spend is ramping up for midterms. 

Our 2026 TV Landscape Report cuts through the noise with hard data on where advertising dollars are flowing, who's actually watching, and what opportunities and challenges marketers are facing this year.   

 

 

Why TV Still Wins Ad Dollars 

The ways we watch TV are changing fast, but Americans’ love of the channel isn’t going anywhere. In 2026, we’ll spend more than five hours a day watching it. That’s almost an hour more than we will use our phones on average. 

Adults 65+ will continue dominating linear viewership, representing 26% of all TV viewers. This demographic holds about 50% of total US household wealth and accounts for 22% of consumer spending, making them an incredibly valuable audience for advertisers.  

But younger generations aren't abandoning TV. They're just watching differently. Millennials and Gen Z are driving increased tablet and mobile usage for video content, but even these younger generations still prefer the big screen for long-form content. In fact, 87% of all adults prefer watching movies on a TV screen rather than a mobile device or laptop. 

 

Ad Spend Will Surge, But Not Equally Across Channels 

Connected TV ad spend is set to rise 13.6% this year, while linear TV will drop 3.9%. Even so, linear remains the clear leader, with $48 billion in ad spend compared to CTV’s $36.9 billion. Still, audiences are shifting. Streaming now makes up nearly 45.2% of total TV usage, just edging out cable and broadcast’s combined 44.6%. 

Even so, the key to media buying success in 2026 won’t be choosing a side between linear and streaming. Instead, savvy advertisers should integrate both channels into their media mix to maximize reach and minimize overlap. 

Meanwhile, CTV is becoming more cost-effective. Premium platforms like Netflix and HBO Max still command CPMs above $30, but mid-tier options are dropping into the teens and twenties. That means advertisers can finally find ROI on a channel where performance once felt out of reach. 

 

Global Events Will Create Massive Opportunities 

Two global events will dominate screens in 2026: the Winter Olympics and the FIFA World Cup. The Olympics, airing February 4–22 on NBC and Peacock, will unite thousands of athletes from nearly 100 nations. Then in June, the World Cup kicks off across Fox networks, featuring matches in 11 U.S. cities and record-breaking viewership expectations. 

Both events will spark massive audience spikes and intense competition for premium ad inventory. NBC and Fox are expected to sell out prime placements early, giving advertisers rare chances to align their brands with the energy and emotion of global competition. 

For marketers, the takeaway is clear: plan now. In 2025, the Super Bowl drew more than 110 million viewers, while March Madness reached over 47 million across Final Four broadcasts. Live sports continue to be one of TV’s most dependable audience draws, and 2026 promises to raise the stakes even higher. 

 

Political Advertising Will Disrupt Inventory 

2026 is a midterm election year, and political ad spending will reshape the landscape. While early spending has been modest at around $8 million, experts anticipate record-breaking totals as campaigns accelerate. 

Political ad spend more than doubled from $3.63 billion in 2010 to $8.94 billion in 2022. Early indicators show that 2026 will have even higher totals. 

This increased political activity will lead to tighter inventory and higher CPMs on news networks and in competitive markets like Illinois, New York, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina starting in early 2026 and peaking by Election Day. 

 

Get the Complete Picture of TV in 2026 

This overview only scratches the surface. Our full 2026 TV Landscape Forecast includes: 

1. Detailed viewing habits by generation 

2. Network-by-network tentpole programming guides for NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB 

3. Month-by-month linear viewership projections 

4. Platform-specific CTV CPM trends 

5. Political spending analysis and market impacts 

6. Strategic recommendations for navigating 2026's media landscape

 

Review the full report.

View the report here to access all the data, visualizations, and insights your media planning demands.