Dish Media Taps PubMatic to Boost Programmatic Ad Sales for Sling TV

Sling TV
(Image credit: Sling TV)

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.—PubMatic has announced that it is working with Dish Media to help Dish’s Sling TV boost programmatic demand by allowing it to access private marketplace deals.

The companies said that their partnership comes as more consumers seek ad supported streaming providers as a primary means for engaging with TV content. According to Insider Intelligence, virtual multichannel video programming distributor (vMVPD) viewership is expected to rise by over 40% since 2020, reaching 42 million U.S. viewers in 2024, while traditional pay TV viewership declined by more than 30% over the same period. 

To help advertisers tap into this growing audience, the partnership will help advertisers to improve targeting and campaign ROI.

"We are strategically expanding our partnerships with SSPs to amplify scale and flexibility for our buyers,” said Andrew Tint, head of programmatic partnerships, Dish Media. “Transparency remains a core focus, and in this pursuit, we are excited to announce PubMatic as our newest partner. With an extended SSP footprint, we are providing buyers with unparalleled flexibility, empowering them to make purchasing decisions that align seamlessly with their strategic goals.”

Brad Stockton, senior vice president of video innovation at dentsu added, “Dish Media and PubMatic’s partnership will create more opportunities for advertisers to be in front of the right audiences during major seasonal advertising periods while accessing valuable targeting signals to improve ROI. We are excited to be partnering with them to bring more innovative solutions to clients and build on our advertising supply chain.”

As part of the partnership, PubMatic’s buyers will have access to premium programming on Sling, plus a diverse range of live sports content with channels like ESPN, NFL Network, FS1, TBS and TNT. Major global sporting events including the Paris Summer Olympic Games and Copa America in the U.S., will account for a significant boost in ad spending in 2024. In search of performance amidst ongoing structural changes to the digital ad market, advertisers are expected to look towards programmatic CTV that combines the precision targeting of digital with the prestige user engagement of traditional TV, the companies said. 

“This year is shaping up to be a monumental year for CTV advertising as targeting signals disappear from other digital channels and the political season drives increased live TV viewership,” said Nicole Scaglione, vice president CTV/OTT and Online Video at PubMatic. “We are excited to partner with Dish Media to offer our advertisers access to the valuable inventory on Sling and enable them to tap into rich targeting signals to drive their campaign objectives.”

George Winslow

George Winslow is the senior content producer for TV Tech. He has written about the television, media and technology industries for nearly 30 years for such publications as Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and TV Tech. Over the years, he has edited a number of magazines, including Multichannel News International and World Screen, and moderated panels at such major industry events as NAB and MIP TV. He has published two books and dozens of encyclopedia articles on such subjects as the media, New York City history and economics.