Stop Calling CTV
'Programmatic TV'

March 9, 2026 · 3 min read

I hear it constantly: "We're doing programmatic TV." When I ask what that means, the answer is almost always Connected TV. And that distinction matters more than people think.

Programmatic is a buying method. CTV is a device category. You can buy CTV programmatically, but you can also buy it through publisher-direct deals, managed services, or platform self-serve tools. When brands collapse the two, they assume CTV = open auction buying — and they miss half the inventory landscape.

Here's why it matters practically:

• Premium inventory access. The best CTV placements — think Hulu homepage takeovers or live sports on Peacock — aren't available programmatically. They're sold direct. If you only buy through a DSP, you're seeing a fraction of what's out there.
• Transparency gaps. Programmatic CTV has real supply-path issues. Studies consistently show that a significant share of programmatic CTV impressions come from resold or misrepresented inventory. Publisher-direct deals give you certainty about where your ad ran.
• Pricing confusion. Programmatic CTV CPMs can range from $15 USD to $45+ USD depending on audience targeting, platform, and supply quality. If you don't understand what you're buying, you can't evaluate what you're paying.

None of this means programmatic buying is wrong. It's one tool. The mistake is treating it as the only tool, or worse, treating the buying method and the medium as the same thing.

Before your next CTV campaign, ask a simple question: are we choosing a buying method based on strategy, or because it's the only option our vendor presented?

If it's the latter, you might be leaving your best placements on the table.

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