More than 90% of CTV display ad spend is now transacted programmatically, and the channel is expected to grow 15.1% in 2026 according to EMARKETER. The era of manual TV buying as the default is functionally over.
The next structural shift is pod bidding, a new standard for programmatically selling multi-ad commercial breaks. The Trade Desk expects to have transitioned its entire publisher supply path to support pod bidding by August 31, 2026. Major players across the programmatic supply chain, including Index Exchange and Comcast-owned FreeWheel, have begun to support it.
Pod bidding lets buyers bid on positions within an ad break rather than just a single impression. For publishers, it means more efficient yield management and better control over ad sequencing. For advertisers, it means the ability to buy the first position in a break (the premium spot) or avoid back-to-back placement with competitors.
The Trade Desk's deadline for completing pod bidding support across its entire publisher supply path
The growth trajectory is driven by several forces. Streaming viewership surpassed combined broadcast and cable reach for the first time in mid-2025. Major streamers have fully embraced ad-supported tiers, with Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video and Paramount+ all running programmatic inventory. Self-serve CTV ad platforms with low minimum spends have opened the channel to small and mid-sized businesses.
US CTV ad spending alone will grow 15.1% in 2026. Digital out-of-home, which increasingly shares infrastructure and buying workflows with CTV, will reach $4.77 billion, a 14% lift from 2025. The convergence of these channels into a unified programmatic buy is reshaping how brands think about screen-based advertising.
Why it matters
For Australian advertisers, CTV has historically been harder to access than in the US market. But the programmatic maturation and the entry of self-serve platforms are lowering the barrier. BVOD (broadcast video on demand) inventory from Nine, Seven and Ten is available programmatically, and international streamers are expanding their Australian ad inventory.
The pod bidding standard is particularly relevant for brands that compete in the same categories. Position within the ad break matters. Being first in the pod delivers higher recall than being buried in position four.
What to do about it
If you have not tested CTV, the barrier to entry has never been lower. Self-serve platforms and low minimums make it accessible even for smaller Australian businesses.
Ask your programmatic buying partner about pod bidding support. If they cannot access pod-level buying by Q3, you are missing the premium positions.
Evaluate BVOD inventory alongside international streamer inventory. Australian audiences are split across both, and the programmatic pipes now connect them.
Allocate a test budget to CTV with conversion-focused measurement. CTV is no longer just a brand awareness channel. Performance measurement is maturing.
Monitor the August deadline. When The Trade Desk completes its pod bidding transition, the buying experience for CTV will change materially.
Ninety percent programmatic. Pod bidding by August. CTV is not the future of TV advertising. It is the present.
