Observed Signal · Jul 15, 2026 · Policy Update · Source: Adzine · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Standards Can Boost Connected TV Across Screens
The article argues that Connected TV (CTV) offers significant advertising potential thanks to large screens, digital delivery, and data-driven targeting, but its value is currently limited by fragmented measurement and inconsistent quality standards. Unlike linear TV — which benefits from decades-old, industry-wide measurement, ad sequencing rules (e.g., deduplication and preventing back-to-back competitor spots), and curated content — the CTV ecosystem lacks universally accepted metrics, cross-platform rules, and established Brand Safety controls. The inclusion of streaming offerings into established measurement systems (for example AGF) is described as an important first step toward harmonization. The piece calls for standardized reach measurement, transparent KPIs, defined ad inventory, quality guidelines, and brand-protection mechanisms so CTV can be fully integrated with linear TV in planning, buying, and evaluation.
Standardized CTV measurement and quality guidelines enable comparability with linear TV, integration into planning/buying processes, improved brand safety, and the combination of reach and performance—meaningful but incremental industry impact unless adopted widely.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Classical linear TV buying uses standardized, industry-wide measurement systems enabling cross-channel comparison and planning.
- Connected TV (CTV) measurement is fragmented: platforms, device manufacturers, and providers use differing measurement logics and KPIs.
- Inclusion of streaming offerings into established measurement systems such as AGF is cited as an initial step in harmonizing CTV measurement.
- Quality controls common in linear TV (e.g., ad deduplication and prevention of back-to-back competitor spots) are only partially established in CTV.
- CTV provides advertisers programmatic booking, precise targeting, frequency control, and the combination of reach and performance, but needs standardization for full integration with linear TV.
Connected Companies & Entities
1 Entity mapped“The measurement of streaming offerings in established measurement systems such as those of the AGF represents an important first step in a l...”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
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Former Telekom Media Chief: Advertisers Must Price in Bots
At the AGF Forum in Frankfurt, Norman Wagner, Managing Director of Pion3ers and former media chief at Deutsche Telekom, demonstrated live how easy it is to create a fully AI-generated magazine and generate fake traffic using bots. He argued that a majority of online content and traffic now comes from bots, making it extremely difficult for advertisers to measure true reach and effectiveness. Wagner believes that technology alone cannot solve the problem and instead advocates for 'common sense' and independent measurement. He suggests that walled gardens that do not allow independent verification should face a price discount. He also highlighted the potential of AI in contextual brand safety, noting that keyword-based negative lists incorrectly classify 70% of news environments as unsuitable.
Streaming UX: Key to Subscription Retention
A new analysis highlights that poor user experience (UX) is a major driver of streaming subscription cancellations. According to a study by CTAM and Hub Entertainment Research, 36% of viewers have cancelled a subscription due to UX frustrations, rising to 43% among under-25s. Gracenote data shows users spend an average of 14 minutes searching for content, with 49% saying they would cancel if search remains difficult. The Deloitte Digital Media Trends 2026 reports 39% of US users cancelled a subscription in the last six months because they couldn't find content quickly. As competition intensifies, providers are advised to improve content discovery, personalization, and navigation to reduce churn, which is at 6.3% monthly average in 2026.
The Voice Hits Streaming Record, Babylon Berlin Strong
The AGF's program brand measurement data for calendar week 39 (September 21-27, 2026) shows that 'The Voice of Germany' reached a new streaming record of 511,000 unique viewers on Joyn, crossing the half-million mark for the first time since the metric was introduced in 2024. It was the strongest Joyn brand of the week. Meanwhile, ARD's 'Sportschau' led the overall streaming ranking with 1.767 million viewers, helped by the German national football team's match against Greece, closely followed by 'Babylon Berlin' with 1.75 million, which remained the most-watched fiction title. RTL's 'Oktagon MMA' also posted a streaming best outside the top 20. The data covers streaming on the providers' own platforms, excluding YouTube and social networks, and represents net reach, not average viewership.
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