IAB Tech Lab has created technology, standards and initiatives that have helped scale video environments to become the fastest growing sector of digital ad spend in 2021. However, the ways in which consumers are viewing video content is fast changing, the lines between digital video and TV are becoming increasingly blurred, and with this, our advertising systems need to advance at the same pace as consumers, ensuring that ad experiences across all video and TV environments are as consistent, and as seamless as possible.

It is with this that on November 7th, 2022 IAB Tech Lab’s CEO, Anthony Katsur, announced our move to build “An Interoperable Future for Linear and Connected TV.” In his announcement, Katsur sums up our vision for Advanced TV.  “Whether an ad is on a traditional linear platforms like cable, satellite, broadcast or emerging IP-enabled TV (CTV, OTT, Addressable Linear, streamed FAST channels), the industry must ensure that any ad can be identified and potentially offered as part of the addressable landscape.”

To help the industry navigate these challenges, IAB Tech Lab has launched the Advanced TV initiative to develop comprehensive foundations for TV advertising technology and standards. As part of this initiative, IAB Tech Lab has developed a focused product roadmap for Advanced TV which has been designed to deliver the following objectives across different TV viewing – linear platforms and emerging IP-enabled TV (CTV, OTT, Addressable Linear, streamed FAST channels) :

1. Interoperability for Frame Accurate Ad Delivery and Ad Break Management to ensure consistent cross platform ad break and ad slots signaling
2. Universal Addressability and Reconciliation for Audience Measurement for all types of TV viewership
3. Full Auditability for Advertising Campaigns delivery
4. Ad Measurement for delivery and client side Viewability verification on the TV
5. Omni channel sales management for Programmatic buying and selling of Upfronts as well as spot buys