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Curiosity, Competition, and Connected TV. If It Hadn’t Changed, I’d Be Gone

  • Writer: Robert Eckelman
    Robert Eckelman
  • May 14
  • 2 min read

I almost can’t believe I’m saying this…After nearly 40 years in the same industry—I still love what I do.

Not because it's been easy.

Not because it's been perfect.

But because it's constantly evolved... and so have I.


I’ve left roles where I felt stagnant.I’ve walked away when corporate policy clashed with my values. Some clients have moved on. I’ve done the same. But one thing’s stayed constant: Curiosity, competitiveness, and a desire to work with and help good people win. Early in my career I could not say this, I worked with whoever would work with me. Now I get to choose.


I’ve seen this entire industry transform—


From the early days of cable to near broadcast penetration, to cord cutting...


I've witnessed the full arc—from the golden age of broadcast dominance to its gradual unraveling. We've gone from paper diaries to electronic meters, from chasing ratings to counting impressions. Along the way, fragmentation and constant retransmission battles with cable operators have chipped away at viewership and disrupted content delivery. Now, networks are eyeing ways to bypass local affiliates altogether. The hard truth? Not every local affiliate will survive this shift.

  

To the latest innovation-The precision and power of CTV | Streaming | OTT that will only get better.


That last evolution? It’s the one that truly energized me. Because we’re not guessing anymore. We’re not tossing money at shows hoping the right people are watching.

We’ve shifted.

From assumptions to accuracy.

From demographics to demos+.

From reach to relevance.


At ConnectADtv, we help marketers build custom, intent-based audiences using real data—behavior, lifestyle, income, geography—then reach them with surgical precision.

It’s smarter. It's faster. It's measurable. It puts the power back where it belongs—with marketers, not media owners.


And maybe that’s why I’m still here. Not just surviving in this space—but thriving in it. Because I’ve never stopped learning. And the mission? To be the best at what we do—so our clients can be the best at what they do.


Let’s keep evolving. Let’s keep pushing. Let’s connect.

 
 
 

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