New TV for Drummies: the buyer’s guide to taking remote control in this new era

“TV is essential for so many different reasons… you’re not going to be able to get a better creative canvas to tell your story in a way that’s really engaging,” says Rak Patel, chief commercial officer, Channel 4. Add trust, scale and smart tech and you’ve got what he calls “the ultimate outcome, which is profitability.”

1. The great TV reset

For decades, TV was the most predictable part of the media plan: mass reach, linear schedules, fixed buying models. That world has changed.

TV today is everywhere and nowhere all at once. It lives across devices and platforms, apps and walled gardens, scheduled broadcasts and algorithmic streams. What was once a single channel is now a sprawling ecosystem, constantly evolving and increasingly complex.

TV has gone from being the safest, most stable line on the media plan to the most dynamic, with new pockets of innovation pushing the medium forward. That’s why we asked top marketers working in the world of the new TV for the units, formats and approaches that are getting them out of bed in the morning.

2. The evolution of the TV landscape

Then: Linear dominance

• Simple, stable, appointment viewing
• GRPs, demographics, clear reach curves
• Broadcasters as primary gatekeepers

Now: Convergence and fragmentation

• Streaming, Fast and BVOD expanding the ecosystem
• Programmatic enablement and flexible buying
• Data-rich targeting layered on top of premium environments
• Measurement racing to keep pace

Next: A new shape of TV

The future will see platform convergence, AI optimization and commerce-enabled formats. Measurement frameworks will standardize. Creative will adapt. Investment will shift from delivery to business impact.

This is not evolution at the edges. It’s a fundamental rewiring of what TV means – and how to use it.

3. The new buying playbook

Start with the objective

Begin with business goals, not media lines. Is the aim reach, engagement, response, or a blend? Match the format to the outcome.

• Linear = mass impact
• BVOD = flexible extension
• CTV/AVOD = incremental reach and targeting
• Fast = cost efficiency and agility

Understand the inventory

Know the strengths and limitations of each format. Build complementary mixes, not silos. Use programmatic pipes to stay flexible.

Plan across platforms

Unify your planning strategy across linear, streaming and on-demand. Use data partnerships and measurement tools to bridge gaps and manage frequency.

Reimagine measurement

GRPs aren’t the endgame. Cross-platform metrics, incremental reach, attention measures and outcome-based attribution are the new currency.

Build for agility

Test. Learn. Optimize. The best buyers are designed to pivot with audience behavior and platform shifts.

4. Meet the players

Broadcasters & streamers

Evolving from linear sellers into hybrid powerhouses, combining premium content, trusted environments and increasingly data-driven inventory.

Fast platforms

“If you have TV and digital on your plan, this is a different space to both… there’s space for this medium to get a budget as well, because it offers something different,” says Faisal Karmali, vice-president of digital business operations, CNN.

“It’s the best parts of digital on the big screen in the home,” adds Jamie Holder, head of monetization, TalkSport.

Fast is as much about reinforcing brand equity as it is about innovation.

Tech enablers

DSPs, SSPs, ad servers, clean rooms and measurement tools – the connective tissue enabling unified planning, targeting and transparency.

Agencies & buyers

Evolving from negotiators to ecosystem architects, integrating data, strategy and execution across formats.

Brands

No longer just buyers – now active shapers of their TV strategy, using data, in-housing, creative innovation and outcome-driven planning.

See more in our six trends from addressable TV ads that work.

5. Key questions every buyer should be asking

1. What outcomes am I buying against? GRPs are not KPIs. Tie investment to business impact.

2. How does my mix reflect audience behavior? Align spend with where audiences actually are, not where they used to be.

3. What data am I bringing to the table? First-party data drives targeting, accountability and futureproofing.

4. Who owns the audience relationship? Balance platform partnerships with control and visibility.

5. How am I measuring success? Build measurement frameworks around your objectives – not someone else’s.

6. How agile is my strategy? Flexibility is no longer optional. It’s a strategic advantage.

6. Where it’s going – the future of TV investment

Convergence becomes the norm

Linear and streaming environments merge into a single, interoperable ecosystem. Standardized currencies make planning and measurement more fluid.

Outcomes define value

Accountability becomes non-negotiable. Buyers will plan against business outcomes, not delivery metrics.

Creative evolves with media

“We saw anywhere between six to 10 times the engagement we normally see… It’s not a sit-back medium any more. It’s a much more engaging, sit-forward type of medium,” says Michael Scott, VP and head of ad sales and operations, Samsung Ads North America.

Partnerships drive scale

Broadcasters, platforms, tech providers and brands collaborate to unlock reach, insight and value.

Fluency becomes the superpower

The best buyers will be fluent across formats, metrics and strategies – leading, not following, market change.

Television has never been more complex, or fuller of possibility. For buyers, this is a moment to lead, not follow. To move from fixed schedules to fluid strategies. From GRPs to outcomes. From channel silos to ecosystem thinking.

Dive deeper into The Drum’s New TV for Drummies hub for platform breakdowns, expert perspectives and practical tools to help you buy smarter in the era of new TV.