TV Has Never Been Bigger. Why Is It So Misunderstood?

TV and radio aren’t dying — they’re misunderstood. Ian Baer argues that despite decades of “TV is dead” headlines, both TV and radio remain two of the most powerful, high-reach, high-trust advertising channels. Their strength comes from verified human attention, emotional storytelling, and predictable, ad-supported environments where audiences still discover and remember brands. Streaming isn’t replacing TV; it is TV’s evolution, with most viewing still on ad-supported platforms. Radio remains the largest weekly-reach medium in the U.S. The real issue is that marketers don’t understand how people actually use screens today — whether TV is the “first screen” (main focus), “second screen” (paired with a phone), or “third screen” (background). When brands align TV’s role with audience behavior, especially alongside digital, performance increases dramatically. The takeaway: TV and radio are not outdated — they’re essential, evolved tools that marketers must use with more nuance, not less.

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