From AI-powered discovery and CTV growth to measurable DOOH and evolving media sales models, recent conversations on BIA’s Leading Local Insights Podcast have explored many of the trends reshaping local advertising in 2026.
If you missed any of these episodes, we wanted to share a quick recap of the discussions and insights that are helping media companies navigate a rapidly changing marketplace. We hope you enjoy these conversations, and if you’re interested in joining us as a future guest speaker, we’d like to hear from you.
AI, Search, and Advertising Discovery
As conversational AI platforms continue evolving, advertising and discovery models may fundamentally change alongside them.
In How AI Ads in ChatGPT Are Reshaping Advertising and How Conversational AI Is Changing Discovery for Brands and Media, media analyst Mike Boland explores how AI assistants and conversational discovery are reshaping advertising, SEO, search visibility, and media monetization strategies as consumers increasingly move beyond traditional keyword search.
AI assistants may fundamentally change how advertisers think about discovery and search.
Revenue Operations and Media Performance
As media companies manage increasingly complex advertising workflows across broadcast, streaming, digital, and programmatic platforms, operational reliability is becoming a larger part of revenue strategy itself.
In The Hidden Risk: When Traffic Breaks and What That Means for Revenue, Marketron CEO Jimshade Chaudhari discusses why traffic and revenue operations directly impact advertiser satisfaction, campaign execution, and long-term revenue performance for media organizations.
Modern media revenue increasingly depends on operational precision.
The Growing Role of CTV and Streaming
CTV and streaming continue gaining importance in local advertising strategies, particularly as advertisers look to combine broad reach with more targeted audience engagement.
In Automotive Advertising in 2026: The Evolving Role of Broadcast and CTV, Cox Media Group Executive Chairman Steve Pruett discusses how broadcasters and advertisers are balancing the scale and credibility of traditional television with the precision and flexibility of streaming platforms.
Additional conversations, including Inside the $182B Local Ad Market: Key Trends for 2026, also examined how digital video, streaming growth, and shifting advertising behavior continue to reshape local media strategies. (Note: This podcast was recorded in January 2026; in April, BIA raised its total local advertising estimate to $184.5B.)
CTV is no longer replacing broadcast. It’s extending it.
DOOH Becomes More Measurable
DOOH is also evolving beyond traditional awareness campaigns into a more measurable, action-oriented advertising channel.
In Rethinking Local OOH: Not Just Seen — Acted On, Vistar Media’s Dave Rivera discusses how advances in attribution, audience targeting, and real-time optimization are helping advertisers better connect DOOH exposure to consumer engagement and business outcomes.
DOOH is shifting from awareness media to measurable performance media.
Outcome-Driven Media Sales
As advertisers demand greater accountability and measurable business results, media sales organizations are evolving beyond traditional inventory-based selling models.
In From Inventory to Impact: The Shift to Outcome-Driven Media Sales, Graham Media Group CRO Stephanie Slagle discusses how media companies are transitioning toward integrated, outcome-focused sales strategies that combine audience insights, cross-platform solutions, and performance-driven advertising approaches.
Media sales strategies are increasingly being built around business outcomes, not just inventory.
Building the Modern Media Organization
Several recent podcast conversations focused on how media companies are adapting their sales strategies, workflows, and talent investments to compete in a rapidly evolving marketplace.
In From Forecast to Revenue: Turning Market Data into Sales Advantage, leaders from BIA and AdApt Media Sales explore how bringing market intelligence directly into the sales workflow can help media companies uncover opportunities, strengthen client conversations, and drive more informed revenue strategies.
Meanwhile, in The Hiring Reset: Where the Real Media & Ad Tech Jobs Are in 2026, Hawthorne Search President Robert Hawthorne explores what hiring trends across media, SaaS, and ad tech reveal about where companies are investing for future growth.
Additional discussions throughout the series also explored the major forces shaping BIA’s projected $182B local advertising market in 2026, including digital expansion, political advertising, streaming growth, and evolving advertiser behavior across local markets.
Join the Conversation
We hope these conversations provide useful insights as you navigate the opportunities ahead. We have many more planned in the weeks and months ahead. If you’d like to share your expertise with our audience, we’d like to hear from you as a future guest speaker. Email us at podcast@bia.com. And stay tuned to all our episodes here.
