Linear needs a common definition for digital and broadcast
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After more than 20 years existing in parallel universes, broadcast and digital are finally coming together. How do I know? One word: linear.
A year ago, no digital marketer or media exec would have used that word. Today, I hear it mentioned on panels and in boardrooms like we’ve been talking that way forever. After a career working with one foot in each universe, I’m thrilled to see digital and broadcast coming together, but we’ve all got to agree on a few things to be able to do business going forward, including the definition of key terms like “linear.”
When digital people say “linear,” they don’t mean the same thing as a broadcaster who has been using the word for decades. In fact, ask four people what the word means and they’ll each have a different definition. I’ve heard it mean:
- “Old-fashioned” programming on a non-streaming channel that’s part of the yesteryear of media.
- Viewer experiences that are streamed, such as live sports.
- Anything that’s not on demand.
- Content and ads that are programmed ahead of time in a set order versus dynamic or programmatic.
To be clear, “linear” is not an outdated term and it’s not going away. In fact, it’s working its way into the next generation of media and ad sales in a number of important ways.
Linear is about a viewing experience, not the technology that delivers it to the TV. Broadcast or streaming, linear is about how content and ads are programmed and shown to audiences. Fewer people want to watch lean-back content (like reruns) linearly. They’d prefer it on demand. But most people watch tune-in content (like live events and sports) linearly. Sports and other live events will continue to be programmed and monetized in a linear fashion even though they are now streamed — simply meaning that it’s prescheduled and runs at a specific time. This “linear streaming” content is actually a big reason why the word “linear” has entered the digital dictionary this year and why there is confusion about what it means.
Linear streaming content like live sports is also giving rise to linear advertising conversations. Some media companies love the dynamic nature of digital ad delivery, but they don’t want to give up their premier ad slots to programmatic auctions. They’d prefer to keep selling premium connected TV (CTV) just like they sell spots on premium content that’s broadcast — upfront and for top dollar. This means they need to promise certain placements, maintain competitive separation and care about common metrics like gross rating points working across broadcast and streaming.
So the concept of linear is not old-fashioned or outdated, even if broadcast TV viewership is decreasing.
The modern media dictionary
I’m picking on the word “linear,” but it’s not the only word that we need to consider in this new world of blended broadcast and digital. The combination of different channels is opening up advertiser opportunities like selling “converged” linear-style streaming inventory in the same proposal as programmatic or dynamic CTV.
“Convergence” used to refer to the concept of bringing all channels together using a single technology stack. Many media companies now realize they are better off uniting disparate parts of their current stack with centralized data, products, and pricing, and a single streamlined workflow. Convergence today speaks to that unified operation, rather than the underlying tech stack. It’s still a valuable word, but it’s taking on new meaning.
I could go on — terms like subscription video on demand (SVOD) versus ad-supported video on demand (AVOD) might seem similar, but using them incorrectly can lead to crazy misunderstandings. Consider movies, which are almost all SVOD, versus live sports, which are almost all AVOD.
What our combined industries need is a new dictionary, a living list of terms that may be brand-new or may be repurposed and updated. We can’t expect broadcasters to let go of their terms — they still make billions from cable viewers — but we can work together to create a common language that works in the new streaming world that brings together the best of old and new, broadcast and digital. Send the new terms and definitions my way.
This op-ed represents the views and opinions of the author and not of The Current, a division of The Trade Desk, or The Trade Desk. The appearance of the op-ed on The Current does not constitute an endorsement by The Current or The Trade Desk.