• by Wayne Friedman , April 20, 2026

Streaming platforms continue to raise the bar when it comes to national TV advertising -- paid advertising and media spend -- now up 9% to $458.5 million for the first three-and-a-half months of 2026 versus a year ago, according to iSpot.tv.

This has given platforms slightly more impressions -- at 41.1 billion versus 40.7 billion.

Legacy TV network-based media companies continue to use their network-owned advertising time to promote their still young streaming platforms -- getting $221.5 million in media value versus $203.1 million a year ago.

Disney+ now tops the list with a highest media value from running messaging on Disney-ABC Television networks, at $47.4 million. Disney+ also had paid ad spend of $19.7 million during the period, and overall airings of 30,975.

Paramount+ is next, driven by all Paramount Skydance TV network placements, at $44.6 million. Paid spend was $24.7 million, with airings of 38,538.

NBCUniversal’s Peacock follows next at $33.9 million in media value and $17.6 million in paid ad spend -- all coming from a much smaller number of airings, at 9,359.

NBCU aired major viewership generating events this period -- the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and the Super Bowl.

Overall, NFL football on linear TV networks was a big promotional platform for streamers (legacy and digital-first) -- with $86.4 million in national TV paid advertising with an additional $53.7 million in media value from streaming media campaigns.

College basketball -- especially the NCAA March Madness event last month -- also was used a major promotional platform for streaming platforms -- with $36.1 million in paid ads and $13.8 million in media value

The strongest non-sports programming for streamers was "The Oscars" on ABC, with $5.7 million in paid advertising and $14.0 million in media value.