BY Kathy Crosett
Earlier this year, Nielsen touted that, for the first time, streaming TV was capturing more viewing time than linear TV. As OTT advertising grows, linear TV advertising also faces a shrinking market. But media sellers shouldn’t give up on the linear TV market.
Consumers Watch Linear TV
AudienceSCAN data reveals that older consumers are more likely than others to watch traditional TV. And Seniors, in particular, spend a lot of time with this media format. Around 18% watch five or more hours a day. Another 19% watch between three and five hours a day.
In comparison, only 9.5% of Gen Zers watch over five hours of traditional TV daily. In addition, 52.5% of Gen Zers get most of their TV program from OTT streaming services.
Talk with your accounts about their target audience. If they want to reach older consumers, linear TV advertising will be very effective.
Verticals that Advertise on Linear TV
Media sellers should also know that for some verticals, marketers spend a larger share of their budget on linear TV instead of OTT. This reality may be a reflection of the audience they’re targeting.
13.1% of linear TV ad spending is associated with the financial services sector, reports eMarketer. OTT captures about 9% of financial services spending. This targeting makes sense as 18-to-24 year-olds are far less likely to be Potential Financial Planner Switchers, according to AudienceSCAN data. These younger consumers may still be in college. They are just starting their adult lives, and most do not yet have formal financial planners.
Similarly, media and entertainment marketers account for 10% of linear TV spending but only 5% of OTT.
TV Advertising and the Automotive Market
Local auto dealers have long been big purchasers of linear TV advertising. This year, around 9.7% of linear TV ad spending is automotive. And about 6.2% of OTT advertising is credited to the automotive vertical.
In the coming year, around 42% media sales managers reported feeling slightly optimistic about the automotive vertical. This data is from our State of Media Sales survey which also found that about 6.6% of media sales managers are very optimistic about the automotive vertical.
Why the Used Car Sector May Heat Up
A deeper dive into the automotive sector, especially the used vehicle market, shows the opportunity for linear TV advertising sellers.
2026 new car sales may drop from their 2025 levels because of tariffs. Other reasons for new car sales to struggle include tightened credit conditions. These factors may increase consumer demand for used cars.
The tightened financial situation will also make selling used cars more challenging.
And that competitive situation will be a good reason for local used car dealers to advertise. But media sales reps will need to know their accounts’ business and challenges before they can sell them linear TV advertising.
They can check out the local account intelligence reports on AdMall to learn about the average revenue and ad budget for used car dealers. The reports also reveal how the typical dealer spends their ad budgets.
The Value of Audience Data
Media sellers can share details from the AudienceScan profile on used car buyers. For example, we’ve found a 15% increase in the number of consumers intending to buy used cars in the next year.
While many parents may buy used cars for their kids, our data shows that 34% of buyers are between the ages of 18 to 34. These buyers may be just starting to live independently. About 32% report annual income of less than $35,000. These realities highlight the importance of vehicle price in the transaction.
As these consumers enter big transitional periods in their life, they need reliability. With 47% of these consumers hoping to get a new job this year, they need a vehicle that can get them to work. The linear TV advertising market may not be as big as it was a few years ago. However, with the right data points, media sellers can show their accounts how to reach the audiences that matter.
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