The collection of modern, automated ad trading practices known as “programmatic” may seem to sit with natively digital media.

But, little by little, other platforms are getting lit up with these new tricks, too.

That’s why the man who heads MediaMath’s video operations expects programmatic to hit TV in a much bigger way.

“I think that, during the back half of 2019, you’re going to start to see more linear inventory become available in a way that looks more programmatic,” says Mike Fisher, head of advanced TV and video at the ad-buyer platform tech vendor.

“(This will happen) via either optimized linear buying pads like what Viacom Vantage is doing, or through true addressable set-top box VOD which some of the MVPDs are starting to roll out, connections to SSPs.”

Programmatic technology processed just 2.5% of all US TV ad spending in 2018, expected to rise to 6.8% by 2020, according to eMarketer, which estimates: “Live TV Isn’t Ready for Programmatic Yet“.

But a host of technology companies is approaching the idea of “programmatic TV” around the edges, bringing more intelligence to linear TV ad buying, all eager to claim a slice of a US TV ad market that, whilst it is in slight erosion, is still worth around $70 billion.

Fisher says there is an opportunity to impress direct-to-consumer brands which, previously, may never have had the resources to buy a TV campaign.

This videos was recorded at the MediaMath Connect All Fronts industry conference in Manhattan.  The series is sponsored by MediaMath.  For more videos please visit this page.