Heading into 2026, the pace of change across radio, TV, and digital media is reaching an inflection point. Audience behaviors continue to evolve, measurement models are expanding, and AI is becoming embedded across everyday workflows. Rather than simply reacting, media organizations have an opportunity to take a more intentional, collaborative approach to connecting linear and digital operations, applying new technologies where they add real value, and positioning themselves to grow and compete in the coming year and beyond.

A few of the industry trends we’re watching in 2026:

1. Audience Viewing Patterns: The Continued Fragmentation of Attention

Audiences are fragmenting across platforms: broadcast, streaming, podcasts, social, and more, all with different audience demographics and consumption patterns.

At the close of 2025, 41.6% of U.S. audiences were watching TV via broadcast or cable, while 47.5% watched via streaming. But those streaming viewers were split between a growing number of ad-supported video on demand (AVOD) and free ad-supported TV (FAST) channels, as well as traditional subscription/on-demand services. And while numbers are difficult to pin down, many viewers are watching broadcast and cable TV content via streaming platforms, both live and on demand.

Radio audiences are showing a similar shift, with 62% of ad-supported daily listening time spent on radio, split between live broadcast, on-demand, and digital streams.

The line between linear and digital isn’t just blurring, it’s disappearing. Media organizations must accelerate their ability to offer cross-platform advertising, to satisfy advertiser demand for diversified audience reach, but also to position themselves for a near-future where linear is digital and digital is linear.

2. AI as a Catalyst for Change

In 2026, AI will be ubiquitous. No longer the next shiny, new thing, AI is now a business necessity. Agentic AI has a key role to play in automating manual processes associated with planning, trafficking, execution, and optimization. Instead of fearing AI, media teams must learn to orchestrate itresponsibly, combining human expertise with machine efficiency.

Smarter Planning and Sales Operations

In 2026, sales teams will rely more on AI tools that use predictive modeling to build media plans that accurately forecast audience reach across platforms, identify optimal flighting patterns, and enable fluid budget allocation and optimization. AI-guided planning will enable automated planning and proposal generation for cross-platform campaigns that meet both advertiser demands and media companies’ business goals.

Trafficking Automation

The days of manual trafficking each insertion order will continue to wane in 2026. Media companies will adopt AI-powered automation tools to:

• Insert deals dynamically
• Manage material instructions
• Synchronize audience forecasts with delivery expectations
• Monitor pacing and performance automatically
• Reconcile logs
• Manage makegoods

By automating trafficking processes, teams can free up time to focus on strategy, not paperwork.

Ethical AI and Brand Safety

With AI generating content and decisions, governance frameworks will come to the fore, reassuring advertisers that safeguards are in place to ensure bias mitigation, transparent data usage, and brand-safe placements and outcomes.

Ethical and transparent AI adoption will become a trust differentiator, with clearly stated standards, audits, and guardrails.

3. Data: The Engine that Powers Everything

Automation tools, whether powered by AI or not, are only as effective as the quality of the data that powers them. This year, media companies will invest in data warehousing solutions that securely and intelligently provide data access to power analytics, integrations, and AI.  

Beyond Traditional Ratings

Traditional TV and radio ratings are increasingly insufficient on their own. Advertisers demand cross-platform, outcome-based measurement that ties exposure to real business impact.

Measurement solutions in 2026 must include data from a variety of sources, integrating linear and streaming viewership, and blending broadcast listening with digital audio analytics. Equally important is the ability to attribute conversions and outcomes across platforms.

Unified Data, Unified Platforms

A common challenge has been siloed inventory and measurement data across linear and digital. In 2026, successful companies will unify their tech stacks through strategic integrations, both custom and pre-built, so they can:

• Eliminate redundant processes, reducing manual steps across workflows
• Synchronize client data and opportunities from CRM through planning, proposals, execution, and billing
• See all inventory in one place
• Consolidate measurement, reporting, and billing
• Enable simplified cross-platform packaging

Efficiencies gained through integrations will allow teams to close deals and execute campaigns faster, while also increasing revenue opportunities through more accurate inventory forecasting. But a unified tech stack goes beyond simplifying day-to-day tasks; it empowers teams to shift their focus from manual, administrative tasks to consultative sales, strategy, and innovation.

Turning Change into Competitive Advantage

The trends shaping 2026 are not new, but they’re now reaching a point where thoughtful, coordinated action can make a meaningful difference. As audiences continue to fragment across screens and listening platforms, media organizations are exploring ways to better connect linear and digital workflows, adopt AI-powered automation where it adds real value, and unify data strategies to power that automation and to support smarter decision-making.

Approaching this transformation collaboratively, working alongside the right technology providers, can help organizations reduce complexity and evolve their operations in ways that support long-term, sustainable growth. In 2026 and beyond, success will belong to organizations that don’t just react to change, but to those who are ready and use it to lead.

To discover how WideOrbit can help you turn change into a competitive advantage, please contact us.