Cleaning Up CTV: The Case for Greater Transparency

The initial CTV adtech buildout focused on scale and speed, bringing digital buying, selling, and audience activation capabilities to the big screen. But as the ecosystem expanded, so did its complexity. 

With the groundwork in place and CTV maturing as a channel, the industry is now entering a necessary next phase: consolidation. Without it, it risks recreating the overcomplicated sprawl that slowed down open web programmatic, following the same path from rapid expansion to fragmentation and, ultimately, rationalization.

This “cleanup” marks a shift in priorities, as scale alone is no longer enough. The path forward is clear: fewer intermediaries, greater log-level transparency, and more direct access to quality inventory.

The Cost of Too Many Intermediaries

As the number of intermediaries has grown, their role in transactions has expanded, with inventory frequently resold across multiple layers. At each step, the value added is often limited, and in some cases, the inventory itself is extracted without a clear contribution. Advertisers are left with little visibility into how that inventory is sourced, how many times it has been repackaged before reaching them, or the role content syndication plays in shaping what they ultimately buy.

Over time, this lack of transparency introduces inefficiencies that compound across the supply chain, making it increasingly difficult to maintain control over both quality and where ads ultimately appear.

A Premium Environment Doesn’t Always Mean Premium Inventory

Despite its big-screen prestige, not all CTV inventory meets the same standard, as the rise of FAST platforms has introduced a significant volume of cost-effective supply. This inventory is often spread across hundreds of channels with highly variable content quality, creating inconsistencies within environments that were once more controlled. At the same time, platforms like YouTube are increasingly consumed on TV screens, reducing the distinction between user-generated and professionally produced content while introducing new brand safety risks.

As a result, the screen is no longer a reliable proxy for quality, and assumptions tied to the device itself are becoming less relevant. Brand safety, suitability, and context remain critical considerations, even in environments traditionally seen as premium.

Scale Is More Concentrated Than It Appears

Beyond questions of quality, the structure of the CTV ecosystem also shapes how scale is achieved, influencing how reach is distributed across inventory. While the landscape may appear highly fragmented at first glance, reach is often more concentrated than it seems, particularly in mature markets where a relatively small number of legitimate content owners can deliver the majority of scale. The long tail of inventory may be extensive, but it rarely drives meaningful reach at the same level.

This directly impacts buying strategies, as broad diversification across partners doesn’t always translate into incremental scale. Instead, focusing investment on a smaller group of trusted suppliers can improve both efficiency and transparency without sacrificing reach.

From Fragmentation to Focus

Against this backdrop, operational discipline becomes increasingly important, as advertisers navigate a fragmented ecosystem that demands greater control and clarity. Rather than spreading investment across multiple intermediaries, they are better served by consolidating their buying strategies, prioritizing clearer supply paths, and moving away from opportunistic arbitrage. 

In practice, this means building long-term partnerships with a select group of premium suppliers who are best positioned to deliver both scale and quality, while providing greater visibility into how inventory is sourced and delivered.

By reducing unnecessary intermediaries and prioritizing transparent, direct supply paths, the industry can avoid repeating the mistakes of the open web and build a more efficient ecosystem where quality, not just access, defines success.