PubMatic announced a partnership with DISH Media that allows SLING TV to tap into PubMatic?s supply path optimization partnerships to access premium demand via private marketplace deals. SLING TV and PubMatic?s new partnership comes as more consumers seek ad supported streaming providers as a primary means for engaging with TV content. According to Insider Intelligence, virtual multichannel video programming distributor (vMVPD) viewership is expected to rise by over 40% since 2020, reaching 42 million U.S. viewers in 2024, while traditional pay TV viewership declined by more than 30% over the same period.

To enable brands to best engage this growing audience, DISH Media will pass valuable content signals in the bid stream, such as genre or network, enabling advertisers to improve targeting and campaign ROI. The partnership enables DISH Media to access PubMatic?s growing list of supply path optimization partners, which collectively make up over 45% of all activity on the PubMatic platform. This is another avenue for advertisers to access premium ad inventory on SLING from a leading sell-side technology provider, including high-quality content and desirable audience segments that are often exclusive or restricted to select advertisers.

PubMatic?s buyers will now have access to premium programming on SLING, plus a diverse range of live sports content with channels like ESPN, NFL Network, FS1, TBS and TNT. Major global sporting events including the Paris Summer Olympic Games and Copa America in the U.S., will account for a significant boost in ad spending in 2024. In search of performance amidst ongoing structural changes to the digital ad market, advertisers are expected to look towards programmatic CTV that combines the precision targeting of digital with the prestige user engagement of traditional TV.