ITN and Magnite Redefine Local TV Advertising with Programmatic Access

ITN and Magnite have teamed up to deliver a first-of-its-kind offering: programmatic access to live local linear TV advertising inventory. For the first time, advertisers can transact live ads on local broadcast-TV stations programmatically-just as they do with streaming or online video buys. The move reflects a major shift in how the industry thinks about local linear TV, its automation, and its integration with digital-style buying workflows.

Under the offering, ITN’s technology takes ad inventory from local TV stations (broadcast groups, regional outlets) and translates it into “biddable impressions.” Magnite’s ad-server and demand-side platform capabilities then allow those impressions to be bought via real-time bidding, VAST (Video Ad Serving Template) workflows, and programmatic buying mechanics. In effect, advertisers can now include local linear TV inventory in their media plans in tandem with digital video and CTV inventory, simplifying what used to be a much more manual, complex process.

Why This Matters for the Marketing & Advertising Industry

From a content-marketing and MarTech lens, this announcement signals several important strategic inflections.

The bridging of linear and digital buying environments

Historically, linear TV-especially local broadcast stations—has been difficult to automate and integrate with the programmatic / digital ecosystem. Many advertisers have preferred digital/streaming simply because it was easier to transact, measure and scale. By making local linear inventory into bid-impressions and tying it into the digital buying stack, this partnership helps change that dynamic, meaning marketers can now treat local broadcast media more like a digital channel.

Local linear just became more accessible and scalable

For many advertisers-particularly those targeting regional or local markets—linear TV has been under-utilised due to the complexity of buying and the lack of automation. The ITN-Magnite solution promises to reduce friction, lower operational overhead and allow for more nimble planning and buying of local TV spots. This opens up new potential for local campaigns, regional brands and those seeking mass reach via broadcast but wanting digital-style efficiency.

Greater operational efficiency and media planning agility

Media planners and ad ops teams can now match local linear TV inventory with streaming and online video. This creates unified plans. It reduces silos, separate vendor contracts, and manual insertion orders. The result is faster execution, better optimization, and quicker measurement across channels.

Pressure and opportunity for agency, production and ad-tech vendors

This shift means that agencies and ad-tech companies must revisit how they service linear TV clients. If local linear becomes more “digital-like” in transacting, performance-based metrics, real-time bidding, and optimisation will matter more. Agencies may need to invest in tools, data and processes for local linear just as they have done for programmatic digital. For ad-tech vendors, the bar is raised: solutions must cover linear broadcast, streaming and programmatic interplay seamlessly.

Also Read: Brownstein Group Unveils “Born and Raised”, A Reimagined Advertising Agency

Effects on Businesses Operating in the Ecosystem

For brands, broadcasters, agencies and technology companies, the implications are broad and meaningful.

For brands and advertisers: This development brings local linear TV into the orbit of modern programmatic media planning. A regional brand could now buy local broadcast spots via the same tech and process they use for digital video, making TV a more integrated part of the media mix. This creates chances for better reach, cross-channel synergy and potentially improved ROI.

For broadcast stations/local media owners: Traditionally reliant on direct sales or manual insertion orders, local stations can now potentially plug into automated demand flows, compete alongside national networks and digital platforms, and monetise inventory more efficiently. This could lead to higher yield and more advertiser interest in local linear.

For agencies and media-planning firms: Media procurement, optimisation and measurement requirements will evolve. Planners must now think about local linear inventory that is bought programmatically, requiring different attribution, data integration and cross-channel optimisation capabilities. The skillset and workflow shift are real.

For ad-tech and MarTech vendors: The infrastructure to support programmatic local linear must handle the logistics of broadcast (e.g., one-to-many delivery, station aggregation, technical standards) alongside digital. Vendors that can broker this integration will gain an advantage; those still only servicing digital may risk being sidelined for local linear buys.

Challenges & Considerations

As with any major transition in the media-buying ecosystem, there are several caveats that brands and technology leaders should keep in mind.

• Measurement and attribution complexity: Buying local linear programmatically is one thing; measuring its impact, attributing outcomes, and integrating with broader media analytics remains a challenge. Creasing cross-channel measurement will be critical.
• Brand safety, transparency and standards: Local broadcast inventory has historically had different standards, workflows, and measurement than digital. Ensuring transparency, viewability, audience quality and compatibility with digital metrics will be essential.
• Operational readiness and change management: Agencies, brands and stations must adapt to the new workflow—not just technology. That means updated training, process changes, integration of new data feeds and potentially new vendor relationships.
• Supply-side scale and reach: The station network is big, but local linear inventory is not the same as digital inventory. This includes audience fragmentation and time-of-day variation. Advertisers must set realistic expectations about scale, targeting precision, and costs.

Integrating with current campaigns and planning systems is key. Brands that split linear and digital buying must unite these into one workflow. This requires careful planning, effective data management, and coordinated media operations.

Conclusion

The partnership between ITN and Magnite is a big step for media buying. It shows that linear TV, especially locally, is not fading away but evolving. For marketing and advertising, this is crucial: linear broadcast now matches the speed and scale of programmatic digital.

Brands that adapt will have integrated media plans. They will also reach local audiences better and improve efficiency across channels. Broadcasters will unlock new demand and monetization chances. Agencies and ad-tech firms must rethink their approach to local linear TV. They should manage it better. They need to use data effectively and measure results accurately. This will help them add real value.

In short, programmatic is expanding beyond digital and streaming. It’s reaching local linear TV. Businesses that embrace this change early may find themselves ahead.