CTV vs Linear TV 2026: When to Buy Each (Cost & Reach)

DRAFT — outline below, needs body expansion before publish.

Intro hook

Open with the cord-cutting stat: U.S. cord-cutters now outnumber pay-TV households for the first time. But linear TV still claims X% of weekly viewing for adults 55+. The CTV vs linear debate isn't an either/or — it's a portfolio question. This piece gives the buying framework.

Cost comparison: CTV CPMs vs Linear CPMs

• CTV: $15–$85 CPM (per our 2026 CTV benchmarks)
• Linear broadcast: $10–$15 CPM, daypart spikes higher for live sports
• Why CTV is 2-4x more: addressable targeting, frequency caps, household-level attribution
• When the premium is worth it vs not

Reach comparison: who each channel actually delivers

• Linear strength: 55+ audiences, daytime news, sports event viewers
• CTV strength: 18-49 cord-cutters, streaming-only households, light-TV viewers
• Incremental reach math: CTV adds 32% unique reach when layered on linear (FreeWheel data)

Attribution: the gap that decides which one to buy

• Linear: brand lift studies, panel-based measurement, 30-day lookback windows
• CTV: identity resolution via UID2, clean-room integrations, household-level conversion tracking
• Why CTV is the only TV channel that can be measured to a lead, sale, or LTV

When to buy linear: 3 scenarios

• Reaching 65+ audiences (Medicare AEP, life insurance, healthcare)
• Live sports adjacency for mass-reach brand launches
• Local market saturation where CTV inventory is too thin

When to buy CTV: 3 scenarios

• Reaching 18-54 cord-cutters and streaming-only households
• Performance accountability — need to tie spend to downstream conversions
• Addressable audience targeting (B2B account targeting, first-party data activation)

The recommended buy: a portfolio approach

• 70/30 or 60/40 split between CTV and linear for full-funnel brands
• How to design the incrementality test that proves your split

CTA close

Link to our programmatic services and free media plan review.

Sources

Industry figures in this article are drawn from the organisations below. Campaign-level benchmarks reflect North American Media Experts client data.

• FreeWheel