The long-standing gap between traditional TV advertising and the agility of Connected TV (CTV) just got narrower. Spectrum Reach, the ad sales division of Charter Communications, has teamed up with tvbeat to bring programmatic buying capabilities—long the domain of digital—into the U.S. linear TV market.
Through this partnership, Spectrum becomes the first U.S. MVPD to enable CTV-like automated buying for linear TV inventory. That means advertisers can now purchase broadcast and cable ad spots through digital platforms without manual negotiations, mirroring the ease and precision of streaming ad buys.
A CTV-Like Experience for Linear TV
Linear TV ad buys have historically involved a chain of human intervention—media planners, account reps, and campaign managers. tvbeat’s platform automates the process, letting digital advertisers tap into traditional TV inventory with data-driven targeting, automated execution, and performance tracking.
The benefits are more than just convenience:
- Pay only for relevant impressions – Ads are charged only when seen by the target audience.
- Granular reporting – Advertisers get detailed, impression-level performance data post-campaign.
- VAST tag support – Standardized delivery for video ads, aligning linear campaigns with CTV and digital video workflows.
“This collaboration enables our customers to purchase traditional TV ads as easily and precisely as they would with CTV—a capability previously unavailable for linear buys,” said Dan Callahan, CRO at Spectrum Reach.
Why It Matters for AdTech
For years, CTV has outshone linear TV in targeting precision, real-time optimization, and automated buying. This move starts to erase that advantage, giving linear TV the programmatic edge digital buyers expect. It also signals a broader industry shift—one where all video inventory is planned and bought through unified, automated systems, regardless of screen type.
“By aligning with Spectrum Reach’s innovative approach, we can help advertisers boost returns and reach wider TV audiences with CTV-level precision,” said Robert Farazin, CEO of tvbeat.
The message is clear: in the evolving video ad market, the lines between linear and digital are blurring fast—and buyers stand to benefit.
