Linear TV Ad Spend Up, Streaming Gains Ground in Q1 2025

Linear TV Ad Spend Grows Despite Impression Drop in Q1 2025

Linear TV ad spending increased 4% to $12.34 billion in Q1 2025, even as ad impressions decreased 4.25% year-over-year, according to an iSpot report. This suggests a shift towards quality placements amid economic uncertainty. Meanwhile, streaming ad impressions gained ground, representing almost 14% of total TV ad impressions, up from 6-8% in early 2023. Linear TV's share consequently narrowed to 86% from 92% in early 2023.

Streaming Adoption Rises, Data Gaps Remain

The upfronts reveal a growing commitment to streaming, with an average of 32% of budgets allocated to these platforms. However, marketers face challenges accessing crucial data. iSpot reports that only 44% receive programmatic data and 48% receive attribution data from streaming partners, hindering optimization efforts.

Marketers Prioritize Quality over Quantity in Linear TV

While streaming gains traction, linear TV remains relevant. The increase in linear ad spend despite the impression decline indicates a strategic focus on impactful placements. Mark Myers, iSpot's chief commercial officer, notes that brands are prioritizing precision, tailored placements, and measurable outcomes.

“The rise in linear TV ad spend, even as impressions softened, shows that brands aren't pulling back, they're getting smarter—prioritizing precision, tailored placements and measurable outcomes. Brands that are finding success with their campaigns are pairing quality media mixes with outcome-driven strategies beyond surface-level metrics.” - Mark Myers, Chief Commercial Officer, iSpot

Live Sports Bolster Linear TV, But Streaming Continues to Grow

Live sports, particularly men's college basketball, the NFL, and the NBA, continue to drive linear TV viewership. However, the growth of ad-supported streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video contributes to the ongoing shift towards streaming. This trend aligns with the projected 14% growth in digital video ad spend to $72.4 billion in 2025.

As upfront negotiations commence, marketers prioritize outcomes. iSpot's survey found that 53% of respondents ranked outcomes as the most important factor in media buys, followed by value at 27%. The report analyzed 224 billion linear and connected TV ad impressions and surveyed over 260 marketers to understand current trends and budget allocations.

Learn more about the growth of digital video ad spend: Digital Video Ad Spend to Grow 14% in 2025