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The news: NFL ads are more effective than anything on linear鈥攂ut ads during streaming-exclusive games outperformed in the 2024-25 season. Streaming ads were 66% more effective than the cable and broadcast average during the most recent NFL season, per data from EDO. Our take: With streaming platforms capturing engaged audiences for tentpole sports like the NFL, advertisers can leverage CTV not just for reach, but for its superior ability to drive measurable action through precision targeting and interactive formats that linear doesn鈥檛 offer.

The news: NBCUniversal is exploring a dedicated sports cable network that would feature content鈥攊ncluding NBA games鈥攕hown on its Peacock streaming service, per a Wall Street Journal report. Our take: Launching a dedicated sports cable channel could help NBCU open the door to new ad inventory and bolster its cable revenues as traditional TV faces mounting pressure from the streaming transition. Live sports continues to command strong advertiser demand, even as general linear viewership declines.The channel will enable NBCU to better monetize its existing sports rights by repackaging content for cable audiences who might be losing interest in traditional TV.

The news: Paramount outlined the future of its cable and studio assets on Wednesday a week after completing its merger with Skydance Media. Paramount president Jeff Shell characterized the company鈥檚 vision for its cable networks, including MTV, BET, and Nickelodeon, not as shrinking linear assets, but as 鈥渂rands that we have to redefine.鈥� Our take: Paramount鈥檚 emphasis on growing its traditional media businesses signals a bet that legacy channels can drive meaningful revenues when accounting for shifting viewing habits and pursuing higher-volume content pipelines.

ESPN has launched its long-awaited direct-to-consumer subscription app, consolidating 12 networks and sports rights under one platform. Two tiers鈥擡SPN Select at $11.99/month and ESPN Unlimited at $29.99/month鈥攐ffer up to 79,000 live events annually, with Unlimited subscribers gaining access to marquee programming like Monday Night Football and NBA games. A Disney+/Hulu bundle is also available for $35.99/month, discounted in year one. Features include multiview, betting tools, live stats, fantasy integrations, and an AI-powered personalized SportsCenter. The move signals an existential reset for ESPN, aiming to convert cable loyalists and younger fans while stabilizing growth in a cord-cutting era.

The findings: Banks鈥� NFL ads did better than other ads on all TV platforms, according to EDO鈥檚 NFL TV Outcomes Report. Bank ads that aired during the NFL鈥檚 2024鈥�2025 season programming were 27% more effective than the category average across all broadcast and cable TV platforms, increasing to 47% during the postseason, according to this study. This effectiveness is measured by the ads' ability to drive brand searches and website visits. Our take: Running an ad during an NFL game and featuring a well-known actor or athlete doesn鈥檛 come cheap. But if done correctly鈥攍everaging the football platform to tell a compelling, human story鈥攖he ROI can make it worthwhile. Financial institutions that haven鈥檛 used celebrities or NFL players in their campaigns should consider engaging a third-party agency to make the most of a potential campaign.

The news: TV ad-supported viewing time grew 2% overall in Q2 across linear and streaming, reaching 73.6% of total time spent watching TV, per Nielsen鈥攍argely driven by streaming. Ad-supported streaming grew 7% to a 45.3% share鈥攂ut broadcast and cable continued a downward trend. Our take: As streaming solidifies its lead in ad-supported viewership, the smartest advertisers will recognize that success hinges on striking a delicate balance of using streaming鈥檚 precision to target key audiences that are shifting to CTV, while leveraging linear鈥檚 scale and ability to drive action.

Streaming captured 47.3% of US TV viewing in July, a record share that underscores the medium鈥檚 dominance as linear declines. YouTube rose to 13.4% of TV use, its highest level yet, while Netflix surged 5% month-over-month to 8.8%, leading the top 10 streaming titles. The Roku Channel and Peacock also hit records, fueled by strong franchises and creator-driven content. Meanwhile, cable slid to 22.2% and broadcast fell to a new low of 18.4%. With YouTube and Netflix now equaling cable鈥檚 share, streaming has become the default destination for mass viewing鈥攅ven as subscription fatigue looms.

The news: Xfinity unveiled its StreamStore on Wednesday, raising the stakes in the connected TV (CTV) arms race by aggregating 450 apps and 200,000 titles with integrated billing. The one-stop interface turns Xfinity into a centralized gateway鈥攍ess a cable provider, more a streaming superstore, per Variety. Our take: CTV consolidation will streamline ad strategies, surfacing opportunities to tap bundles like StreamSaver for targeted sponsorships, co-branded campaigns, and contextual placements. It will also engage viewers across multiple services while reducing subscription fatigue. Advertisers will likely scramble to secure premium placements and test integrated campaigns within StreamStore鈥檚 bundled ecosystem before competition intensifies.

The news: Streaming鈥檚 share of television usage skyrocketed to 46% in June, while time spent with streaming increased 5.4% versus May, per Nielsen鈥檚 Total TV/Streaming Snapshot. Streaming was far above cable (23.4%) and broadcast (18.5%), growing nearly 6% YoY compared with June 2024. Our take: Advertisers are navigating a challenging landscape where connecting with broad audiences necessitates investment in a format that has yet to prove its ability to drive action. A diversified approach is key. While attention and dollars are shifting toward CTV, advertisers can鈥檛 discount the effectiveness of traditional formats.

The news: Streaming watch time outpaced cable and broadcast combined for the first time ever. Streaming accounted for 44.8% of TV viewing in May, per Nielsen, compared with broadcast鈥檚 20.1% and cable鈥檚 24.1%.Our take: With TV viewership increasingly fragmented, advertisers that abandon cable and broadband entirely could leave many consumers behind. Brands should use a hybrid placement model that makes selective investments in linear TV while using streaming to reach younger cord-cutters, helping to retain flexibility as user habits fluctuate.

The news: Streaming has officially surpassed pay TV in the US, with 50.4% of households no longer subscribing to cable or satellite, per our forecast. But streaming鈥檚 ad experience still has work to do. Hub Research finds two-thirds of viewers prefer live TV ad breaks over those in on-demand streaming, and Gen Z remains the least likely to adopt ad-supported tiers. Our take: Streaming isn鈥檛 a free pass to interrupt. Gen Z demands relevance, brevity, and control鈥攎eaning streaming platforms must reengineer how, when, and where they serve ads. The format must evolve if AVOD is to survive the next wave of viewer expectations.

The news: Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) plans to split into two separate public companies by 2026, one focused on streaming and studios and the other on global cable networks, the company announced. Its streaming company will include HBO Max and WBD鈥檚 movie properties, while the global networks company will include TNT Sports, Discovery, and CNN. Our take: WBD鈥檚 move emphasizes that sticking with a one-size-fits-all model is no longer viable given traditional TV declines and the rise of streaming. Managing decline while pursuing growth requires two fundamentally different playbooks.

US Black adults spend the greatest share of their total TV time watching cable (22.4%), followed by broadcast (21.8%), according to a 2025 Nielsen report.

Comcast gives details on its spinout of several NBCU cable networks: As Peacock takes center stage, legacy TV networks must adapt to stay relevant.

With cable in decline, Comcast bets on hybrid strategy: Peacock revenue grows, but subscriber slowdown raises questions ahead of its NBA media rights rollout.

Viewership of children鈥檚 cable programming declined significantly in the past decade. Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, and Cartoon Network lost more than half of their total viewership between 2016 and 2023, according to Nielsen.