> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.promptthemarket.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # US ad spend to grow 12.3% this year while Australian TV grows 0.4% - URL: https://www.promptthemarket.com/iab-lifts-2026-us-ad-forecast-to-12-3-as-tv-lags/ - Published: 2026-09-17T23:30:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-19T12:43:26.000Z - Description: IAB has revised its American forecast up for the second time in nine months, with podcasts up 8.7%. Madison and Wall's Australian number tells the opposite story. - Author: Editor News - Tags: Research, Advertising, #author-james-dore ![James Dore](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/01/e4017178-c1da-4131-80aa-35f02cb5b999/content/images/2026/09/james-dore.jpg) By **James Dore** ยท 2026-09-17 TLDR IAB raised its 2026 US ad spend growth forecast to 12.3%, up from 9.5% in January, drawing on a survey of more than 200 brand and agency decision-makers. Madison & Wall put Australian combined TV growth at just 0.4% for the same year. KEY TAKEAWAYS 01IAB lifted its 2026 US ad spend forecast by 2.8 percentage points to 12.3%, surveying more than 200 decision-makers. 02Social media leads all US channels at a forecast 16.5% growth for 2026, the strongest of any category. 03Podcast advertising is forecast to grow 8.7% in the US across the full year. 04Australian combined TV ad revenue is forecast to grow just 0.4% in 2026, with linear TV contracting 3.5%. 05Digital TV in Australia is forecast up 13.8%, the one local channel tracking closer to US momentum. ## What IAB revised and why IAB put 2026 US ad spend growth at 9.5% in January. By 10 September it had lifted that number to 12.3%, a revision of 2.8 percentage points in nine months.\[1\] Mid-year revisions of that size reflect money that has already landed, not just intentions. IAB CEO David Cohen said the first half was strong, major live events delivered, and advertisers have increasingly powerful tools in their arsenal to find and engage customers.\[1\] Live sport and tentpole programming pulled forward spend that in slower years drifts into Q4. The forecast draws on insights from more than 200 brand and agency ad investment decision-makers, enough weight to shift planning cycles at large holding groups.\[1\] IAB Australia published the study locally on 16 September 2026, six days after the US release.\[2\] ## Which channels are driving US growth Social media is projected to grow 16.5% in 2026, the strongest forecast of any channel in the IAB study.\[1\] Podcast advertising follows at 8.7%, a category that barely registered in most planning decks five years ago and now sits well clear of overall market growth.\[1\] IAB VP Chris Bruderle said consumers are becoming more discerning, switching brands, paying for lower-priced brands and looking at store brands.\[1\] When buyers are cautious, advertisers chase performance, and performance channels take the budget. ## The Australian contrast Madison & Wall's midyear global forecast, published in June 2026, put combined Australian TV ad revenue growth at just 0.4% for the full year.\[3\] That headline figure conceals a split that should concern any planner still anchoring budgets to linear. Digital TV in Australia is forecast up 13.8% for 2026, while linear TV is forecast down 3.5%, a 17-percentage-point spread inside what broadcasters sell under the same category name.\[3\] The combined 0.4% figure is a weighted average of two very different markets. An Australian planner benchmarking off the IAB US headline of 12.3% is comparing their market to one running at roughly 30 times the growth rate of Australian TV combined. Digital TV at 13.8% tracks close to the US social and podcast numbers. Linear TV at negative 3.5% tracks closer to a channel in structural decline, and the money in both markets is following the same logic: measurable performance over broad reach. This article contains analysis and commentary on market conditions. It does not constitute financial, investment, or professional advice. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Always consult a qualified adviser before making financial decisions. SOURCES & CITATIONS 1. [IAB Raises 2026 U.S. Ad Spend Forecast](https://www.iab.com/news/iab-raises-2026-u-s-ad-spend-forecast/?ref=promptthemarket.com) 2. [IAB US 2026 Outlook Study, IAB Australia](https://www.iabaustralia.com.au/news/iab-us-2026-outlook-study-whats-driving-us-ad-investment-for-the-rest-of-the-year/?ref=promptthemarket.com) 3. [Madison & Wall Global Ad Forecast, June 2026](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.mediapost.com/uploads/MadisonAndWallGlobalAdForecast.pdf?ref=promptthemarket.com) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS What did IAB revise its 2026 US ad spend forecast to? IAB raised its full-year 2026 US ad spend growth forecast to 12.3%, up from its January projection of 9.5%, a revision of 2.8 percentage points based on a strong first half and live-event performance. Which ad channel is growing fastest in the US in 2026? Social media leads all channels at a forecast 16.5% growth for 2026, according to IAB. Podcast advertising is second at 8.7%. How is Australian TV performing compared to the US market? Madison & Wall forecast combined Australian TV ad revenue growth of just 0.4% in 2026\. Within that, digital TV is up 13.8% but linear TV is down 3.5%, a 17-percentage-point spread inside the same category. ![James Dore](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/01/e4017178-c1da-4131-80aa-35f02cb5b999/content/images/2026/09/james-dore.jpg) [James Dore](https://www.promptthemarket.com/james-dore/) James Dore is Strategy Director at Bushnote, a leader in SEO and AEO in Australia. He writes on search, AI and the technology decisions shaping government and industry.