Broadcast still has value, but the recent posts I have been reading do not. Looking in the rearview is a dangerous way to move forward.

Having sold and led broadcast advertising from 1989 to 2017, I carry deep respect for the industry. But some of the recent broadcaster posts I’m seeing? Honestly, they have me scratching my head.

There’s a lot of chest-thumping around Adults 18+ viewership, low CPMs, and bragging rights to the “lion’s share” of ad loads. It’s time to innovate. Vanity metrics and backward-looking narratives won’t chart the course ahead.

Adults 18+ isn’t a strategy. It’s a placeholder, a vague catch-all that hides the truth: audiences are increasingly 55+. That’s not necessarily bad, but it is irrelevant if you’re chasing precision, growth, or measurable performance.

Lion’s share of ads? That’s not a strength, it’s a symptom. 4 minute+ skippable ad breaks and measurement that tracks content instead of commercials? That’s not scale—it’s static. And static loses audiences and ad dollars.

Today’s media game isn’t about shouting louder, it’s about showing up smarter. Broadcasters do know this and they are desperately trying to catch up. We are operating in a “Demos-Plus” world. Data is king, where ZIP codes, buyer intent, and behavioral signals drive relevance and results. If your ads aren’t finding the right people at the right time, in the right mindset, you’re not moving the needle. No matter how many low CPMs are delivered.

Broadcast still has a seat at the table but the story told needs to be anchored in value, relevance, and performance.

Nostalgia doesn’t sell. Outcomes do.