Traditional & Digital Media
Media Channel OpportunitiesTraditional and Digital Media in BIA’s US Advertising Forecast
Today’s media channels deliver a variety of content to audiences. Media usage has changed dramatically over the last decade and consumer behavior continues to affect a media channel’s adoption and its advertising opportunities.
BIA’s U.S. Local Ad Forecast examines advertising spending across sixteen media, representing traditional and digital media. The forecast captures ongoing developments and analytical assessments within the economy and local business marketplace.
Traditional Media in U.S. Ad Forecast
- TV Over-the-Air (OTA)
- Radio Over-the-Air (OTA)
- Cable
- Newspaper Print
- Magazines Print
- Directories
- OOH
- Direct Mail
Digital Media in U.S. Ad Forecast
- TV Digital
- Radio Digital
- CTV/OTT
- Newspaper Digital
- Magazine Digital
- Mobile
- PC/Laptop
Recent Media Ad Spend Estimates
The media forecasts are available for both local markets and nationwide (all TV markets rolled up) and for 96 vertical categories for 2019-2028.
BIA Analysis for 2025
BIA predicts that total media revenues in the U.S. will hit $171 billion in 2025, up 5.5% in non-political spending from 2024. Growing media in the forecast include PC/Laptop (+13%), CTV/OTT (+9.1%), Out-of-Home (+5.9%), and TV Digital (+5.4%).
In 2025, BIA’s forecast shows that digital’s share of total local advertising is greater than traditional media’s share for the first time. Digital ad revenue will get 52 percent of the overall advertising spend at $89 billion compared to traditional advertising revenue that is slated at 48 percent of the ad spend at $82 billion.
Navigating the Shift: Exploring the Surge in CTV Advertising and Its Impact on Local Markets
As the digital landscape evolves rapidly, there’s a significant shift toward Connected TV advertising.
BIA’s local advertising forecast indicates that nearly half of all ad dollars will go to digital. In local markets, CTV/OTT advertising is projected to claim a 7.9% share of local video with a $2.8 billion spend in 2025.
Our comprehensive 2025 Local Advertising Forecast: Local Video provides actionable insights and guidance on how to effectively position yourself in an increasingly competitive space
Accessing BIA’s Media Forecasts
BIA offers numerous, flexible options to access its media forecasts.
BIA ADVantage
16 media forecasts across 96 business verticals for 2019-2027.
MEDIA Access Pro
Television, Radio and Newspaper forecasts and industry data.
U.S. Local Advertising Forecast
PDF Presentation
Investing in Television and Investing in Radio
The most comprehensive books available on the radio, television and newspaper industries
Custom Data Project
Contact us to discuss a custom data pull
U.S. Local Advertising Forecast: Nationwide View
PDF + BIA ADVantage Access
Media Definitions
Traditional Media
CABLE TELEVISION: All revenues generated by local cable systems for sale of time to either national or local advertisers on all of their aired networks. Does not include any advertising sold by national cable networks.
DIRECT MAIL: All revenue spent (including postage and production) by direct mail local and direct mail national advertisers in promoting their products/services through printed mailings and catalogs. The average split of national/local is 90/10.
DIRECTORIES: All revenues generated by local directory companies for their printed and digital/online listings.
MAGAZINES PRINT: All revenues generated by local market magazines from either national or local advertisers from their print editions. Does not include any advertising generated by magazines with a national subscriber base.
NEWSPAPERS PRINT: All revenues generated by local daily and weekly newspapers from national and local advertisers from their print editions. Does not include any revenue generated from subscriptions.
OUT-OF-HOME (OOH): All revenues generated from sale of advertising in locations outside of homes. Includes traditional billboards, digital billboards, digital signage, taxi cabs, and digital cinema.
RADIO OVER-THE-AIR (OTA): All revenues generated by local radio stations for sale of time to either national or local advertisers from their over-the-air broadcasts. Does not include any advertising sold by the national radio networks.
TELEVISION OVER-THE-AIR (OTA): All revenues generated by local television stations for sale of time to either national or local advertisers. Does not include any advertising sold by the over-the-air national networks, nor any retransmission consent revenues generated by these local television stations.
Digital Media
CONNECTED TV (CTV)/OVER-THE-TOP MEDIA (OTT): CTV/OTT advertising is local targeted advertising included on streaming video delivered to TV sets via Internet connections and includes both IP set top boxes that receive signals from digital video ad servers (and widgets on them) as well as USB and HDMI multimedia devices.
E-MAIL: All revenues spent by national and local advertisers in e-mail solicitation.
MAGAZINES DIGITAL: All revenues generated by local market magazines from either national or local advertisers from their digital activities. Includes the share retained by local magazines after reselling other online platforms (e.g., Google AdWords). Does not include any advertising generated by magazines with a national subscriber base.
MOBILE: All revenues generated from advertising on mobile devices and targeted devices are Phones, tablets. This includes in-app advertising as well as mobile web and messaging advertising. Formats include display, search, SMS, video and native social advertising (i.e. Facebook news feed ads).
NEWSPAPERS DIGITAL: All revenues generated by local daily and weekly newspapers from national and local advertisers from their online editions. Includes the share retained by local newspapers after reselling other online platforms (e.g., Google AdWords). Does not include revenues generated from subscriptions.
PC/LAPTOP: All revenues generated by online companies selling locally targeted advertisements to be displayed on a PC/laptop. These advertisements could be sold by local pure-play online companies, or national companies selling geo-targeted advertising. Includes search, display and classified/vertical advertising. Search includes dollars spent on online local inquiries with search engine sites (such as Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Yahoo, Ask, AOL).
RADIO DIGITAL: Digital radio advertising includes local advertising sold by local stations (streaming and website advertisements) and pure play streaming services. Includes the share retained by local radio stations after reselling other online platforms (e.g., Google AdWords).
TELEVISION DIGITAL: TV digital advertising includes local advertising sold by local broadcast stations (owned and operated streaming and website advertisements). Includes the share retained by local television stations after reselling other online platforms and products (Not owned and operated e.g., Google AdWords, targeted display, social media advertising).
