BIA Revises Local Ad Forecast; Political Key to Broadcast’s Success

BIA Advisory Services revises its 2026 U.S. Local Advertising Forecast that it first released in Q4 2025 and is now projecting total local ad revenue to reach $184.5 billion, reflecting approximately 8.1% year-over-year growth compared with 2025. Among the reasons for the increase is a stronger-than-expected performance in mobile political ad spend.  BIA says, “Political advertising will drive key spending this year. BIA projects approximately $8.4 billion in local political spending, creating substantial revenue opportunities across broadcast television, linear cable, CTV/OTT, radio, and direct mail. While some legacy formats, including print, continue to face long-term declines, others are evolving. Across the market, advertisers are increasingly adopting full-funnel strategies, combining high-reach media such as cable, broadcast, and OOH with data-driven digital channels to drive both awareness and measurable outcomes. Radio also remains a stable local medium, with additional opportunities emerging through digital audio, including streaming and podcasts.”