Media consultancy and data company BIA Advisory Services has revised a previously released forecast of local ad revenue in 2026, from the earlier forecast delivered in Q4 2025. The upbeat data separate digital media and traditional media.
The headline number is $184 billion; that’s the total 2026 revenue projection, including political advertising. That number can be taken apart by pulling out political advertising. Doing so reduces the total to $176 billion in expected U.S. ad revenue.
That point is important, as described by BIA below:
“Political advertising will drive key spending this year. BIA projects approximately $8.4 billion in local political spending, creating substantial revenue opportunities across broadcast television, linear cable, CTV/OTT, radio, and direct mail.” — BIA
BIA gives us two basic financial summaries: Traditional Media and Digital Media. Helpfully, BIA’s chart (below) illustrates how those two worlds add up to a whole marketplace, while detailing which advertising channels go with those two types.
Digital media spending will surpass traditional media in this 2024 projection.
“Political advertising will drive key spending this year,” BIA asserts in the clearest and most precise prediction offered in this communication. Radio is listed as one of five advertising channels which will benefit most.
Key spending verticals are emphasized: Travel, leisure and automotive for higher-income households, while retail, restaurants, and essential services will be the traditional media spending stars.
Interestingly, BIA has created Digital Out of Home as a distinct media category, separating it from the more generic Out of Home grouping.
Radio is characterized as a “stable” medium — “with additional opportunities emerging through dgiital audio, including streaming and podcasts.”
