The 14 Most Important Things TV Execs and Insiders Learned in 2024

It would be an understatement to say that the TV industry has changed a lot in the past year.

From increasing consolidation, plummeting upfront prices, and an ongoing fight over sports rights, streamers and broadcasters are forging ways ahead in the new era of TV. And, they’re also learning lessons along the way.

ADWEEK asked 14 TV executives, ad sales leaders, and insiders about the biggest thing they learned about the industry in 2024.

Jay Askinasi, svp head of global media revenue and growth, Roku

“Interoperability within the programmatic ecosystem has become a critical priority.

Strengthening relationships with third-party partners not only drives success for our advertisers but also elevates the entire industry. This year underscored just how increasingly important interoperability is to create a unified yet open platform that integrates seamlessly with industry standards, third-party tools, and existing advertiser workflows.”

Dani Benowitz, global and U.S. president, Magna

“Change is constant and the industry continues to be even more fragmented.”

David Cohen, CEO, IAB

“We tend to look at challenges and headwinds before we embrace opportunities. It’s time for the industry to recapture an opportunity mindset. With so much changing so fast, how can we leverage it to drive growth?

Yes, we need to stay practical, pragmatic, and balanced. But we won’t win by playing defense. It’s also time for streaming to break out of its adolescent skin and grow. I fully understand the business imperative for profit, but heavier ad loads with poor frequency caps are not a winning formula for viewers, and inconsistent measurement is not great for advertisers.”

Rita Ferro, global ads president, Disney

“Being flexible and agile to a dynamic marketplace continues to be of top priority for us. We need to remain customer focused so we did a pretty significant reorg maybe two months ago to really address the importance of being close to our customers, understanding what their goals are, and making sure that we’re delivering on all of the expectations of best-in-class partner with them. Flexibility, consistency, and how we show up is really important.”

Marcy Greenberger, chief investment officer, UM

“Expect the unexpected. Technology, and how people consume media is always evolving and you need to be willing and able to flex and adapt. I also learned I have the best team in the business.”

John Halley, president, Paramount Advertising

“The business is changing at an accelerating pace. Consumer choice becomes greater everyday, which creates a natural bend to fragmentation.

2024 brought historical volumes of change, and underscored a most important principal. The ability of big players to evolve their structures and products remains the key to competitive advantage, and will define the winners and losers in a fast evolving ecosystem.”

Kim Kelleher, chief commercial officer, AMC Networks

“We have learned that partnerships and collaboration are the keys to achieving our goals during these turbulent times. At AMC Networks, we are finding strength and opportunity in growing our existing partnerships and finding new partnerships across distribution, content, and advertising, including partnering with companies that would have been seen as competitors not that long ago.”

Kevin Krim, CEO and president, EDO

“Convergent TV is no longer just a concept but a fundamental shift in how TV operates. Linear and streaming have fused into a single ecosystem, pushing marketers to leave behind outdated demographic-based buying in favor of data-driven, audience-plus-outcome strategies that optimize for both brand and demand.”

Liz Leonard, evp, PMX Lift

“The linear marketplace is an 80-plus year old industry that can feel overwhelming when faced with the opportunity to break old habits. Particularly examining legacy behavior and thinking around marketplace currency, audience strategy and advanced measurement.

However, we’ve hit an incredibly exciting time where we are giving each other permission to make change and do things differently. It’s now on all of us to make sure we don’t stand around waiting for the next person to move, but collectively lean in to make it happen.”

Mark Marshall, chairman, global advertising and partnerships, NBCUniversal

“The magic of the Olympic and Paralympic Games is unmatched for consumers and advertisers.” 

Michael O’Connor, evp, head of investment, Horizon Next

“I learned how creative we can be in the CTV space with unique ad formats, interactive ads, and takeovers. I think back to the heyday of cable and all the ideas we used to come up with that were always shot down because programming wouldn’t allow it. Now we can create content hubs and all sorts of creative things that were never possible in a linear world.”

Michael Scott, vp, head of ad sales, revenue and operations, North America, Samsung Ads

“The line between passive viewing and active viewer participation has blurred.

With 30% of consumers now regularly scanning QR codes during TV ads, engagement for advertisers shifted from a perk to a necessity. Gamified ad breaks and innovations that extend to lower funnel engagement are transforming TV into an interactive, immersive experience that drives real-time consumer actions.

As gaming draws bigger audiences and time spent on gaming increases, in-game advertising will gain traction, leveraging high levels of interactivity. If your ad isn’t creating engagement across screens, it’s missing the mark.”

Donna Speciale, president of U.S. advertising sales and marketing, TelevisaUnivision

“The power and influence of U.S. Hispanics should never be underestimated or dismissed. Our audience is one of the most coveted consumer bases in the country, and their impact was front and center this year. From the music industry to the election, U.S. Hispanics continue to be a driving force.

I think the industry has finally woken up to this, and while I’m proud of the investment we’ve seen from advertisers in this massive, powerful community, it’s clear there are still more growth opportunities heading into 2025.”

Matt Sweeney, chief investment officer, GroupM US

“Two key insights stand out: First, the Federal Reserve’s influence on ad budgets. Decisions on interest rates create ripple effects—lower rates boost consumer confidence and spending, driving purchases like cars, home refinances, and renovations. This economic activity fuels industries and stimulates ad budgets. It’s a clear reminder of how closely macroeconomic trends impact advertising.

Second, the power of sports rights. Traditional networks without major sports rights are at a clear disadvantage. Networks with these rights draw massive audiences, drive viewership, and function as a vessel to cross-promote other content. Without them, networks may generate cash flow but may struggle to remain competitive in public markets.”