Streaming Saves TV in Upfront, but Ad-Dollar Declines for Linear Are Significant

By Brian Steinberg

Brian Steinberg

Senior TV Editor

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The erosion of ad dollars earmarked for traditional TV has gone from alarming to dire.

Advertisers cut their “upfront” spending on broadcast TV by approximately 5.3%, according to an analysis of the annual sales market by Media Dynamics Inc., a consultancy that tracks ad spending. Spending on cable TV fell even more, with marketers cutting outlays by 7.7%. In 2025, the spending decline for ad commitments for broadcast fell by just 2.5%, while ad commitments for cable were off by 4.3%. The estimates would mark the fourth consecutive year in which advertising money committed to broadcast and cable fell during the annual sales haggle.

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