Food Network and CNN Dominate CTV Ad Spend as News Leads Mobile Streaming TV
Event summary
- Pixalate's June 2026 OpenEPG™ Index shows Food Network and CNN leading CTV ad spend, with NBA’s Hardwood Classics ranking No. 1 on large screens.
- News genres dominated mobile streaming TV ad spend at 64%, led by Scripps News.
- Reality, News, and Sport accounted for 81% of estimated U.S. CTV open programmatic ad spend in June 2026.
- News had the highest invalid-traffic rate among leading genres at 18.6%.
- BET’s Being Mary Jane led small-screen rankings by consumer reach for a second straight month.
The big picture
Pixalate's June 2026 OpenEPG™ Index highlights a significant shift in ad spend towards News and Reality content across CTV and mobile streaming TV. This trend reflects broader industry dynamics where advertisers are prioritizing high-reach, high-engagement genres. The dominance of Food Network and CNN in CTV, coupled with the surge in News content on mobile, underscores the growing importance of targeted ad placements in streaming TV. The high invalid-traffic rate in News content also signals potential risks that could impact ad spend strategies moving forward.
What we're watching
- Ad Spend Dynamics
- How the dominance of News and Reality genres in CTV ad spend will affect future programming investments.
- Fraud Prevention
- Whether the high invalid-traffic rate in News content will prompt stricter ad fraud measures.
- Content Strategy
- The pace at which streaming platforms will adjust their programming to capitalize on high-ad-spend genres.
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