• by Wayne Friedman , September 4, 2025

Global linear TV advertising will continue its downward trend -- sinking 11.3% to $139.1 billion in 2026 from $143.9 billion this year, according to the World Advertising Research Center (WARC).

The biggest global TV ad spenders on average now spend just 38% of their ad budgets on TV, while smaller brands spend around 9%.

Technology and electronics brands advertising on linear TV have seen major declines, WARC says -- down 42% -- and household/domestic product brands have inched up 12%. 

In terms of estimated advertising volume spend, linear TV has seen a drop of 28% in terms of absolute dollars from about $201 billion, over a 12-year period (from 2013).

Linear TV's share of global media spend is now at 12.4% share of global media spend (2025) - down from a 41.3% share in 2013. 

When adding in connected TV/streaming video -- but not social media and YouTube -- that share will be 15.9%. 

Although connected TV/streaming continues to eat into linear TV -- it is set to hit $39.9 billion this year -- linear TV still commands 75% of all global TV-video investment.

Global CTV is projected to rise 3.6% next year to $44.7 billion.

According to WARC, 56% of advertisers will increase their CTV budgets in 2026, with the strongest growth in North and South American territories -- but much less in Asia-Pacific and European countries.