Comscore 2026 State of Programmatic Report: CTV and Audio expected to drive growth with cross-channel performance measurement critical to smarter allocation across platforms

Rhea-AI Summary

Comscore (NYSE:SCOR) released its 2026 State of Programmatic Report based on 200+ media buyers, finding 58% expect programmatic budgets to rise in 2026 and 87% view cross-channel performance metrics as critical or valuable.

Key trends: CTV expected to capture 26% of media budgets and audio 10%; 45% of buyers will move spend from linear TV to CTV and 21% to programmatic audio. 82% call AI-powered optimization essential; contextual and first-party tactics gain traction amid privacy concerns.

Positive

• 58% of buyers expect programmatic budgets to increase in 2026
• CTV forecasted to capture 26% of media budgets on average
• 45% of marketers reallocating spend from linear TV to CTV
• 82% of marketers say AI-powered optimization is essential

Negative

• Only 11% expect AI to produce more than 40% of creatives
• Social engagements rank low at 7% as a key campaign metric

News Market Reaction

+0.12%

1 alert

+0.12% News Effect

On the day this news was published, SCOR gained 0.12%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

Survey respondents: over 200 Expect investment increase: 58% Cross-channel metrics critical: 87% +5 more

8 metrics

Survey respondents over 200 Media buyer respondents in 2026 State of Programmatic Report

Expect investment increase 58% Buyers expecting programmatic investment to increase in 2026

Cross-channel metrics critical 87% Respondents valuing cross-channel performance metrics inside platforms

CTV budget share 26% Average media budget share expected for CTV in 2026

Audio budget share 10% Average media budget share expected for audio in 2026

AI optimization essential 82% Marketers saying AI-powered optimization is essential

Top AI use: targeting 88% Marketers expecting to use AI for audience targeting/modeling

Top outcome metric 62% Respondents ranking conversion rate most important effectiveness metric

Market Reality Check

Price: $8.56 Vol: Volume 12,454 vs 20-day a...

low vol

$8.56 Last Close

Volume Volume 12,454 vs 20-day average 31,339, indicating relatively muted trading ahead of the report. low

Technical Price $8.55 is above 200-day MA at $6.22, and about 16% below the 52-week high of $10.18.

Peers on Argus

Sector peers flagged by momentum were weak, with LCFY down 9.01% and SJ down 6.2...

2 Down

Sector peers flagged by momentum were weak, with LCFY down 9.01% and SJ down 6.25%. SCOR’s modest -0.81% move occurred against this broader downside pressure, suggesting sector factors alongside company-specific news.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jan 08 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Jan 08	Audio tools launch	Positive	+11.8%	Launch of audio targeting and measurement tools within The Trade Desk.
Jan 07	Major client win	Positive	+5.3%	ESPN adoption of Comscore cross-platform content measurement.
Jan 06	Product enhancement	Positive	+3.8%	Daily program-level reporting launch across CTV and linear TV.
Jan 06	Recapitalization step	Positive	+3.8%	Completion of recapitalization exchanging Series B into common and Series C.
Dec 15	Measurement expansion	Positive	+8.2%	Expansion of cross-platform campaign measurement to audio and social.

Pattern Detected

Recent SCOR news over the last several weeks has consistently coincided with positive next-day price reactions, suggesting investors have rewarded product and recapitalization updates.

Recent Company History

Over the past months, Comscore has announced several developments aligned with today’s programmatic-focused report. Product launches on Jan 6–8, 2026 expanded cross-platform and audio measurement, with 24h price reactions between +3.84% and +11.8%. A major recapitalization detailed in late 2025 addressed preferred stock and capital structure. The current 2026 State of Programmatic Report reinforces this narrative of positioning around CTV, audio, AI-driven optimization, and cross-channel measurement, themes already present in prior launches.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement centers on Proximic by Comscore’s 2026 State of Programmatic Report, highlighting ...

Analysis

This announcement centers on Proximic by Comscore’s 2026 State of Programmatic Report, highlighting that 58% of buyers expect higher programmatic spend and that CTV and audio are key growth channels. The strong focus on AI-powered optimization and cross-channel measurement aligns with Comscore’s recent product launches across CTV and audio. Investors may track adoption of these capabilities, shifts of budget from linear TV, and how privacy-forward tactics like contextual targeting affect demand for Comscore’s solutions.

Key Terms

programmatic, ROAS, click through rate (CTR), contextual targeting, +3 more

7 terms

programmatic technical

"2026 State of Programmatic Report, based on over 200 media buyer respondents"

"Programmatic" describes the automated process of buying and selling financial assets or advertising space using computer systems and algorithms. It allows transactions to happen quickly and efficiently, often without human intervention, similar to how vending machines dispense snacks automatically. For investors, programmatic methods can lead to faster decision-making and more precise targeting of opportunities, potentially enhancing overall investment performance.

ROAS financial

"ROAS (47% of respondents)"

Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) measures how much revenue a company earns for each dollar spent on advertising — for example, a ROAS of 4 means $4 of sales for every $1 spent. Investors use it like a fuel-efficiency gauge for marketing: higher ROAS means advertising is generating sales more efficiently, which can boost profitability and help assess whether ad spending is likely to drive sustainable growth.

click through rate (CTR) technical

"Click through rate (CTR) (39% of respondents)"

Click through rate (CTR) is the percentage of people who click a link, ad, or announcement after seeing it, like the share of window shoppers who step into a store after glancing at a display. For investors, CTR measures how well marketing or investor communications grab attention and convert it into action, which can signal demand, influence revenue potential, and affect the cost-effectiveness of customer acquisition.

contextual targeting technical

"43% of respondents plan to increase their use of contextual targeting in 2026."

Contextual targeting is a digital advertising method that matches ads to the subject matter of a webpage or app instead of tracking a user’s personal data or behavior. Like placing a cooking-pot ad in a recipe article so it reaches people already interested in cooking, it matters to investors because it influences publishers’ ad revenue, advertiser demand and pricing, and the business risks tied to privacy rules and changes in tracking technology.

attribution technical

"Measurement and attribution (71% of respondents)"

Attribution is the breakdown of why an investment or portfolio produced a given return by assigning portions of the gain or loss to causes such as overall market moves, industry exposure, or specific stock choices. It matters to investors because it acts like a post-game analysis or recipe check—showing which decisions added value, which hurt performance, and whether results reflect manager skill, luck, or broader market trends, guiding future decisions and risk assessment.

brand safety technical

"Fraud detection and brand safety (70%)"

Brand safety is the set of practices and controls companies use to prevent their name, ads or content from appearing alongside harmful, offensive, or misleading material online. Investors care because damage to reputation can reduce sales, ad revenue, partnerships and share value—think of it like keeping a storefront away from trouble to protect customer trust and long-term earnings.

fraud detection technical

"Top AI applications marketers expect to rely on in 2026: ... Fraud detection and brand safety"

Fraud detection is the set of methods and tools used to spot false, misleading, or illegal financial activity—such as fake transactions, manipulated reports, or identity theft—before it causes major harm. It matters to investors because catching fraud early protects a company’s cash, reputation, and legal standing, much like a smoke detector alerts you to a small fire before it spreads; failures in detection can lead to sudden losses, regulatory fines, and plunging share prices.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Third annual Proximic by Comscore report underscores performance accountability, with AI-powered optimization now viewed as essential

NEW YORK, Jan. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Proximic by Comscore today released its 2026 State of Programmatic Report, based on over 200 media buyer respondents, with 58% expecting their programmatic investment to increase in 2026 and 87% saying cross-channel performance metrics inside programmatic platforms are critical or valuable for decision-making. The findings signal a maturing programmatic market focused less on scale at all costs and more on intentional spend, stronger control layers, and accountable performance across channels.

“Programmatic is entering its mature growth phase, where buyers are moving budget with purpose and demanding transparency, quality, and outcomes across every screen,” said Rachel Gantz, Managing Director of Proximic by Comscore. “This year’s report shows the overwhelming majority of marketers recognize that AI-powered optimization is essential and that the next wave of growth will come from smarter allocation across CTV, audio, and privacy-forward activation.”

Key findings from the 2026 State of Programmatic Report

Programmatic growth continues, led by CTV

• More than half, or 58% of respondents expect their programmatic investment to increase in 2026.
• CTV and Audio are the only two media channels expected to see year-over-year programmatic budget growth, with CTV expected to capture 26% of media budgets on average and audio expected to capture 10% on average.
• The largest funding source for programmatic CTV and audio budgets in 2026 is expected to be from linear TV. 45% of marketers are moving budgets from linear TV to CTV, and 21% are reallocating spend from linear to programmatic audio.
  
  

AI is now table stakes, with a hybrid operating model

• 82% of marketers say AI-powered optimization is essential.
• 69% of respondents plan to use some AI-generated creative, but only 11% expect AI to make up more than 40% of their creatives.
• Top AI applications marketers expect to rely on in 2026:
  
  

1. Audience targeting and modeling (88%)

2. Campaign pacing and bid automation (77%)

3. Measurement and attribution (71%)

4. Fraud detection and brand safety (70%)

Privacy-forward activation pushes contextual and first-party approaches

• 43% of respondents plan to increase their use of contextual targeting in 2026.
• In privacy-regulated verticals, 50% of respondents say that contextual is their main targeting tactic.

Outcomes matter more than engagement

• Marketers rank the following metrics as most important when measuring the effectiveness of their programmatic campaigns:
  • Conversion rate (62% of respondents)
  • ROAS (47% of respondents)
  • Reach and frequency (46% of respondents)
  • Click through rate (CTR) (39% of respondents)
  • Social engagements (7% of respondents)

As programmatic expands further into CTV and audio and privacy expectations continue to rise, buyers are prioritizing strategies that improve quality, reduce risk, and connect spend to business outcomes. The 2026 report introduces an evolved view of the programmatic stack, focusing on “Growth, Control, and Performance,” reflecting how buying teams are actually planning and operating today.

Report availability

The 2026 State of Programmatic Report is available today via this link.

About Comscore
Comscore is a global, trusted partner for planning, transacting and evaluating media across platforms. With an unmatched data footprint that combines digital, linear TV, over-the-top and theatrical viewership intelligence with advanced audience insights, Comscore empowers media buyers and sellers to quantify their multiscreen behavior and make meaningful business decisions with confidence. A proven leader in measuring digital and TV audiences and advertising at scale, Comscore is the industry's emerging third-party source for reliable and comprehensive cross-platform measurement.

Media Contact
Marie Scoutas
press@comscore.com

FAQ

What did Comscore (SCOR) report about programmatic budget trends for 2026?

The report finds 58% of media buyers expect programmatic investment to increase in 2026.

How much of media budgets is CTV expected to capture according to Comscore's 2026 report?

CTV is expected to capture about 26% of media budgets on average in 2026.

What percentage of marketers plan to move spend from linear TV to CTV in 2026?

45% of marketers say they will reallocate budgets from linear TV to CTV.

How important is AI in programmatic according to Comscore's 2026 report (SCOR)?

82% of marketers say AI-powered optimization is essential for programmatic.

What programmatic channels other than CTV does Comscore say will grow in 2026?

Audio is expected to grow, with an average 10% share of media budgets and 21% moving spend from linear to programmatic audio.

What measurement metrics do marketers prioritize in Comscore's 2026 programmatic report?

Marketers prioritize conversion rate (62%), ROAS (47%), and reach and frequency (46%) as top effectiveness metrics.