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NEWSCASTSTUDIO.COM
As broadcasters and media compa-
nies prepare to gather for the NAB Show
in Las Vegas this April, monetization has
emerged as a central theme in an industry
navigating profound transformation. The
annual trade show, scheduled for April 5-9,
2025, will spotlight new revenue genera-
tion approaches as viewing habits evolve
across platforms.
With traditional broadcast models fac-
ing disruption from streaming services
and changing consumer preferences, in-
dustry leaders are reimagining moneti-
zation strategies to maintain profitability
while meeting audience expectations.
This year’s NAB Show will explore how
companies balance subscription models,
advertising opportunities and hybrid ap-
proaches across increasingly fragmented
distribution channels.
The shifting monetization
landscape
The transformation in how audiences
consume content has created challenges
and opportunities for broadcasters and
streaming platforms. This evolution re-
quires completely rethinking how media
companies approach their business mod-
els.
“A fundamental shift in viewing habits
has led to a paradigm change in moneti-
zation,” said Steve Reynolds, chief exec-
utive officer of Imagine Communications.
“While
traditional
broadcast
remains
viable, the rise of linear streaming and
on-demand platforms has reshaped how
audiences consume content. This shift
has fragmented the audience, making it
increasingly challenging for advertisers to
reach consumers effectively.”
The industry is moving from viewing in-
ventory simply as ad slots toward a more
sophisticated approach that prioritizes au-
dience engagement across platforms.
“Instead of viewing inventory as a collec-
tion of ad slots, broadcasters must adopt
a new mindset — one that considers their
audience as their inventory,” Reynolds
said. “This shift empowers advertisers to
execute cross-platform orders effective-
ly, seamlessly blending linear and digital
strategies to reach the right viewers.”
Hybrid revenue models
gain traction
As traditional linear TV revenue wanes,
media companies increasingly embrace
multiple revenue streams to maintain
growth.
“The conversation around monetization
is being driven by the need for broadcast-
ers and content owners to adapt to chang-
ing viewer behaviors while maintaining
profitability,” said Chris Clarke, chief rev-
enue officer and co-founder of Cerberus
Tech. “The shift toward hybrid revenue
models — combining subscription, adver-
tising, and pay-per-view — is accelerating,
especially as traditional linear TV revenue
declines.”
Free ad-supported streaming television
(FAST) has been a significant growth area,
offering viewers free content in exchange
for watching advertisements.
“Monetization will remain central to the
NAB conversation, particularly with the
accelerated adoption of free ad-support-
ed streaming television,” said Anupama
Anantharaman, vice president of product
management at Interra Systems. “Broad-
casters are prioritizing solutions that bal-
ance ad relevance with seamless viewer
retention, moving beyond basic insertion
tactics to contextual alignment.”
The success of FAST platforms depends
heavily on sophisticated advertising tech-
nology that maintains the viewing experi-
ence.
“Viewers increasingly accept ads as a
fair trade-off for free or lower-cost con-
tent, with streaming platforms and broad-
casters needing to fully explore the opti-
mization of their all-important advertising
strategy,” said Jacques Le Mancq, CEO of
Broadpeak. “Dynamic ad insertion is the
solution, delivering seamless, personal-
ized ads, encouraging viewer engagement
and ‘stickiness’.”
Le Mancq emphasized that effective ad
insertion requires comprehensive tech-
nical solutions: “But to achieve maximum
fill rates and drive monetization, DAI tech
has to reach far beyond simple insertion.
There’s meticulous content preparation
required; truly dynamic adaptation to each
Monetization strategies evolve as streaming
reshapes broadcasting, opens opportunities
Continued on next page
MONETIZATION
NAB PREVIEW