Tag: Advertising

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What advertisers want from streaming TV and how HbbTV delivers

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

Advertisers across Europe are demanding high-quality ad experiences, scalable reach, interactivity, data-driven targeting and measurable outcomes when investing in streaming TV, according to the new study Streaming TV Uncovered: A Marketers’ Survey by Comcast Advertising and Longterm Colab.

HbbTV-based addressable advertising meets all these criteria. HbbTV allows broadcasters to replace linear TV ads with personalised campaigns while leveraging the massive inventory of linear broadcast TV – still more than half of total viewing in many markets. The additional HbbTV-TA specification further enhances HbbTV addressable advertising support with frame accurate synchronisation between broadcast content and broadband delivered personalised ads.

Reach at scale

HbbTV reached the milestone of 100 million European households in 2025, according to Dataxis figures and is set to surpass 120 million in 2026, far exceeding any single connected TV platform. Its unified framework works across all TV brands, offering advertisers a single, consistent inventory instead of fragmented platforms.

High-quality ad experiences

HbbTV delivers full-screen, lean-back ad environments with predictable playback and brand-safe placement, driving attention and stronger brand impact compared with app-based streaming.

Interactive and engaging formats

HbbTV pioneered interactive TV at scale with red-button campaigns in the early 2010s. Today, overlays, microsites, and shoppable features remain native, consistent, and standards-based across devices.

Advanced targeting and analytics

HbbTV based addressable advertising can-TA leverages broadcaster first-party and contextual data (with consent) for precise targeting and supports real-time measurement and optimisation, closing the traditional gap between TV delivery and performance.

Flexible inventory and programmatic integration

From linear to Broadcaster VOD and FAST Channels, HbbTV provides unified, programmatic-ready inventory, giving advertisers reach, control, and accountability in a single workflow.

In short: HbbTV combines premium ad environments, massive reach, interactivity, targeting, and measurement – aligning streaming TV investment with advertisers’ objectives across Europe.

The full study can be downloaded here: Streaming TV Uncovered: A Marketers’ Survey (PDF)

Jörn Krieger
Freelance Journalist

HbbTV at the heart of Europe’s TV convergence: Key insights from Vincent Grivet at NXT Media Days

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

Connected TV continues to expand at speed across Europe, reshaping how broadcasters deliver content, manage audiences and monetise inventory. At NXT Media Days Europe, Vincent Grivet, Chairman of the HbbTV Association, delivered a focused and compelling overview of how HbbTV is driving this transformation. Speaking as part of the panel Seamless synergy: The convergence of CTV and linear TV in modern advertising, Grivet outlined why hybrid TV is now essential to the future of European broadcasting, and how HbbTV’s technical foundations, operational frameworks and widespread adoption place it at the centre of that future.

Grivet began with an introduction to his own background. He has spent two decades in telecoms and nearly 20 years in broadcast, which positions him as a hybrid minded person. HbbTV, he explained, was created for the very purpose of hybridizing TV, at a moment where it became obvious that traditional broadcast / linear TV could be enriched with internet delivered services . It merges the strengths of classical linear broadcasting with the personalisation, data capabilities and interactivity associated with digital platforms. 

Bridging the old world and the new world

A major theme across Grivet’s session was convergence. Traditional linear TV and modern streaming environments originated as separate silos served by different teams, technologies and business models. HbbTV, he argued, was built to merge these worlds and create a unified environment that works for broadcasters, manufacturers, advertisers and viewers alike.

HbbTV’s hybrid nature has long been visible through its familiar red button use case, which allows viewers watching a linear channel to access on demand options instantly. Addressable advertising extends that foundation. With HbbTV, broadcasters can deliver CTV-style targeted ads within live broadcast feeds with no disruption to user experience. “You could say this is done with CTV, no need for HbbTV,” he said. “Still, there are two big advantages. We unify the CTV world, and broadcasters stay in control.” 

This unification is important. CTV today consists of multiple vertical ecosystems. Different devices, different apps and different technical frameworks create complexity for broadcasters that need to manage 10 to 15 CTV platforms. HbbTV provides a single, cross-manufacturer mechanism that works across virtually all major brands. “We unify the CTV silos,” Grivet emphasised. “Broadcasters see only one.” 

Control is also a growing concern for European broadcasters, particularly given the dominance of gatekeeper-led CTV environments. HbbTV ensures that ad substitution in linear environments remains fully broadcaster managed with no intermediaries involved.

A mature and growing technology

Grivet supported these points with strong adoption figures. More than 100 million homes in Europe had HbbTV as of March 2025. This is projected to reach 120 million by the end of 2026, representing 17 percent annual growth. Usage is widespread in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Spain, where tens of millions access broadcaster services powered by HbbTV every day. 

Platforms such as Loves TV in Spain, Freeview Play and Freely in the United Kingdom and a growing number of satellite ecosystems across the MENA region all rely on HbbTV as a core building block. 

This widespread deployment has delivered measurable benefits to broadcasters and advertisers.

  • France Télévisions saw significant increases in engagement after launching an HbbTV startover service. More than half of surveyed users said they watched more TV as a result of this feature.
  • Mediaset and Publitalia reported uplifts of 18 percent in drive to store and 56 percent in drive to site from HbbTV-powered addressable ad campaigns.
  • TV Nova in the Czech Republic demonstrated guaranteed frequency-capped impressions by combining linear and digital delivery.
  • AGTT in Austria used HbbTV-based measurement to illuminate previously unmeasurable channels with very small audiences.

Across markets, Grivet summarised the impact clearly. “Yes, HbbTV brings tangible audience and engagement improvements.”

Overcoming the challenges of addressable TV

Although addressable advertising through HbbTV is proven and widely deployed, Grivet outlined key challenges that broadcasters must consider.

The first is awareness. Many broadcasters do not yet understand the maturity or potential of HbbTV. Some assume it will only become relevant in several years, while others consider it outdated. Both views are incorrect.

The second challenge is application development. Broadcasters need an HbbTV application capable of supporting dynamic ad substitution. Fortunately, a strong ecosystem of vendors now provides this expertise.

Consent is another challenge, although HbbTV can help streamline consent acquisition and management.

Finally, certification is essential. The HbbTV-TA specification is an enhancement to HbbTV that supports frame-accurate switching but  broadcasters who wish to use it to benefit from this important upside must ensure campaigns only run on verified devices. ATVI, an initiative created by German’s two leading commercial broadcast groups, already manages certification and provides real-time access to validated device lists. 

Grivet noted that the shift towards all-IP distribution presents both a challenge and an opportunity. As DVB-I evolves, HbbTV is preparing for hybrid and pure IP scenarios, including the possibility of an IP-only version of the specification.

Transparency, measurement and viewer experience

A further benefit of HbbTV is improved transparency and measurement. HbbTV applications can enable broadcasters and ad servers to understand precisely what was delivered on each device. Combined with its cross-manufacturer reach, HbbTV enables consistent measurement across brands, platforms and both linear and non-linear viewing. 

HbbTV also continues to enhance the viewer experience. It supports voting, accessibility services, UHD enhancements, sports statistics and complete service entry experiences such as Freely and Loves TV. For many viewers in Europe, HbbTV has become the gateway to modern broadcaster services.

The next five years and the path to success

Grivet concluded with a clear vision of what will define hybrid TV’s success over the next three to five years.

  • Broad adoption of HbbTV-TA across all television models
  • Ad technology platforms fully integrating HbbTV-TA into unified linear and digital workflows
  • Standards that support all-IP distribution without dependency on delivery networks

As hybrid usage becomes the norm, blending broadcast, streaming, video-on-demand and addressable advertising, HbbTV’s role as Europe’s open and unifying standard places it at the centre of this transformation. Grivet’s message was clear: Hybrid TV is no longer experimental. It is a proven and scalable opportunity that broadcasters and advertisers can embrace with confidence.

HbbTV emerges as a powerful tool for audience measurement in a fragmented TV world

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

As broadcasters and audience researchers face increasing fragmentation in TV audiences and specifically in the Connected TV (CTV) landscape, HbbTV is increasingly seen as a practical and strategic solution for modern audience measurement. This became evident at the asi International Television & Video Conference 2025 in Copenhagen, where HbbTV Chair Vincent Grivet outlined how the open standard can help rebuild stability and transparency in a market dominated by walled gardens, proprietary data ecosystems and shifting viewing habits. His presentation drew on both his long-term industry experience and the standard’s rapid expansion across Europe and beyond.

A positive reception at an influential global measurement gathering

The reception at the conference suggested that while a handful of players, including national audience bodies such as AGTT in Austria, AGF in Germany, Kantar in Spain and BARB in the UK, already use or trial HbbTV for analytics, many attendees were encountering the technology for the first time. A large portion of the audience expressed surprise at the maturity and breadth of the standard, as well as the fact that it already operates across multiple TV manufacturers and distribution networks at a large scale. For researchers accustomed to negotiating access with individual platform owners, the idea of a horizontal, cross-manufacturer technology offering consistent measurement capabilities came as a welcome surprise.

Fragmentation of the Connected TV ecosystem complicates measurement

The conference also reinforced a broader industry theme: the deep fragmentation of the Connected TV environment. With more than ten significant operating systems in play, broadcasters must navigate a patchwork of technical requirements, data policies and commercial constraints. This fragmentation undermines both broadcaster autonomy and the measurement community’s ability to build coherent datasets. In his presentation, Grivet illustrated how CTVs have become the primary screen for video consumption, yet the operating systems controlling them are dominated by global tech companies whose business models limit access to viewer data. Many conference participants voiced concern about the ongoing “privatisation of audience data,” a trend that mirrors the erosion of the traditional neutrality of the television set.

HbbTV positioned as an open, unified alternative

Against this backdrop, HbbTV offers a different path. The standard was created to unify broadcast and broadband delivery and now functions as a common, open environment for apps on connected TVs. Grivet highlighted that any service typically associated with proprietary CTV platforms, ranging from replay and enriched EPGs to personalisation and multi-camera streams, can be implemented via HbbTV. Same is true for more commercial services, like audience measurement or personalized advertising or on-screen shopping. For audience measurement, the standard supports large-scale data collection that complements traditional panels with census-style insights. Consent is integrated into the technical framework, simplifying compliance with European data protection rules.

Because HbbTV runs across the different manufacturer-controlled environments, it creates a harmonized,  open and transparent layer for capturing actual viewing behaviour, for instance revealing audiences for smaller, local or niche channels that legacy measurement methods mistakenly treat as “zero rated,” despite the fact that they are being watched.

Real-world deployments demonstrate the value of HbbTV analytics

Current deployments across Europe already demonstrate the value of HbbTV-based analytics. National measurement bodies and broadcasters use HbbTV applications to collect viewing data in real time, refine audience curves, enrich panel datasets and track the performance of addressable advertising. The strong alignment between HbbTV usage and the rise of addressable advertising was another focal point of Grivet’s presentation. The HbbTV-TA specification, enabling frame-accurate substitution of broadcast ads, is now being integrated into reception devices by major global manufacturers. Grivet expects a total of 15-20 million compliant devices to be in the market in 2026. This makes HbbTV-based analytics a natural companion to addressable advertising strategies, providing a transparent way to assess campaign reach and effectiveness.

Measurement specialists face wider structural challenges

However, measurement specialists at the conference described broader challenges that extend beyond any individual technology. Fragmented viewing habits, inconsistent aggregation efforts, the shift towards global streaming services and the evolving role of live sports all complicate the production of accurate national audience currencies. 

HbbTV offers neutrality and stability in a time of industry uncertainty

In this environment, HbbTV’s neutrality, horizontality and scale offer a rare source of technological stability. Europe now counts more than 100 million HbbTV-capable households, and adoption is expanding quickly in markets such as Turkey and across the Middle East and North Africa. The standard provides a single application environment across manufacturers and networks, giving broadcasters full control over their data and protecting them from unwanted intermediation. In conclusion, these developments show that HbbTV is no longer simply a tool for enhancing broadcast television but a critical enabler for broadcasters and measurement bodies as they navigate the increasingly complex Connected TV ecosystem.

The presentation by HbbTV Chair Vincent Grivet is available for download here. A recording of the presentation can be accessed here.

Details on the asi International Television & Video Conference 2025 in Copenhagen can be found here. 

Warner Bros. Discovery transforms FTA advertising with HbbTV and AWS

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to deliver a new approach to addressable advertising on free-to-air (FTA) linear television, using the capabilities of the HbbTV standard. First launched in Italy, the solution combines broadcast reliability with broadband personalisation, making WBD’s targeted ad inventory up to eight times more valuable.

The project uses AWS Media Services to enable server-side ad insertion (SSAI) across HbbTV-enabled devices. Live video is processed through AWS Elemental MediaConnect, MediaLive, MediaConvert and MediaPackage, with AWS Elemental MediaTailor performing deterministic, session-specific ad insertion. This architecture ensures broadcast-quality continuity while supporting advanced features such as start-over viewing, allowing audiences to restart programmes seamlessly without leaving the linear stream.

WBD reports significant increases in viewer engagement. Users are now watching around 20 minutes of personalised ads per session compared with a previous average of two to three minutes. Access to detailed AWS logs also enables deeper insight into performance and future development.

Following the successful Italian launch, WBD plans to expand the solution across Poland, Spain and Germany. The partnership demonstrates how HbbTV combined with cloud-based workflows can reinvent linear TV advertising and elevate viewer experiences across Europe.

Read the full article here.

HbbTV in MENA: Unlocking new opportunities for addressable advertising and monetisation

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is rapidly evolving into one of the most dynamic markets for connected TV (CTV) and HbbTV. With smart TV adoption accelerating and broadcasters seeking new revenue opportunities, HbbTV-based technologies are emerging as a key enabler of addressable advertising, interactive engagement, and measurable monetisation.

These opportunities were the focus of HbbTV’s latest webinar, “HbbTV in MENA: Unlocking new opportunities for addressable advertising and monetisation”, held on 15 October 2025. The session brought together leading experts from across the region: Cem Eroğlu, VP Turkey & MEA & Central Asia at Adform; Tuna Gürel, Chief Revenue Officer at TVekstra; Atinç Ögüt, Deputy General Manager for Consumer Electronics Product Management at Vestel; and Ralph Edeine, Head of Engineering and Technical Solutions at Eutelsat.

Moderated by journalist Jörn Krieger, the webinar explored how open standards are helping MENA broadcasters compete against walled gardens, how data-driven monetisation is transforming connected TV, and how manufacturers and operators are collaborating to deliver rich, hybrid viewing experiences.

The webinar can be viewed on YouTube.

The discussion also served as a prelude to the HbbTV Symposium and Awards 2025, taking place on 12–13 November in Istanbul, co-hosted with TVekstra.

The rise of connected TV against the walled gardens

Cem Eroğlu, VP Turkey & MEA & Central Asia, Adform

Cem Eroğlu opened the webinar with a candid assessment of the battle between open web ecosystems and the closed walled gardens that dominate digital advertising. He explained how connected TV has become the newest arena in this ongoing contest, and why broadcasters in MENA have a powerful opportunity to compete if they embrace open, standards-based technologies such as HbbTV.

“Once TVs became connected, they transformed into digital screens where advertisers and agencies could buy inventory programmatically,” said Eroğlu. “But this environment is now split between walled gardens – like  YouTube – and  the open web. Broadcasters using HbbTV are part of the open web, and that gives them a strategic advantage.”

Eroğlu highlighted that connected TV offers premium, licensed content in brand-safe environments, something that sets it apart from user-generated video platforms. He also argued that, through HbbTV and programmatic ad tech, broadcasters now have the same targeting, measurement, and frequency-capping capabilities as digital publishers.

In Turkey, Adform and its long-term partner TVekstra have led much of this innovation. Together they have made linear TV addressable, measurable, and auditable, building integrations that connect broadcast and digital data to deliver “fusion planning” across screens.

One striking example from the Turkish market showed how advertisers running a linear TV campaign can identify overlapping households on connected TV and then retarget or exclude them accordingly, creating a true omnichannel strategy that reduces media wastage and increases reach.

Eroğlu cited a case study with Reckitt Benckiser and HAVAS that demonstrated a 7% improvement in incremental reach and an 11% reduction in media waste through such techniques.

“We’re connecting the consumer journey across linear, CTV, and digital,” he said. “Advertisers can now find their first-party audiences on the open web and on TV, manage frequency, and even link TV exposure to CRM or ERP data. The result is that connected TV is no longer a secondary screen, it’s the starting point.”

Adform’s ID Fusion technology, already used widely for cross-device identification, is extending into TV environments, allowing advertisers to target households deterministically and measure outcomes while maintaining privacy and compliance with European data regulations.

Eroğlu concluded by stressing that MENA broadcasters have the assets (content, audiences, and trust) to thrive in this open ecosystem. The challenge, he said, is to embrace data-driven monetisation with the same sophistication as digital platforms.

Next-generation monetisation in HbbTV & connected TV

Tuna Gürel, Chief Revenue Officer, TVekstra

Building on Adform’s technology foundation, Tuna Gürel of TVekstra provided a broadcaster’s perspective on how connected and hybrid TV are transforming monetisation across Turkey and the wider MENA region.

Smart TV penetration has surged in Turkey, he said, with roughly 70 percent of households, around 18 million devices, now connected. Despite this shift, viewing habits remain rooted in linear television. Turkish audiences still spend more than three hours and 45 minutes per day watching broadcast TV (half an hour more than the European average) and most homes receive content via satellite rather than IPTV or OTT.

This combination of high smart-TV penetration and strong broadcast viewing creates ideal conditions for HbbTV-based addressable advertising. TVekstra, which partners with Turkey’s seven national broadcasters, reaches around 40 million viewers and 11.5 million households through HbbTV integrations, roughly half the population.

For broadcasters, the benefits are tangible. Gürel reported that HbbTV services typically account for 5–10 percent of additional digital revenue, providing new ad inventory when online properties such as websites and apps are saturated. Advertisers, meanwhile, gain access to precise targeting, measurement, and interactivity that traditional TV cannot provide.

Hybrid TV planning: Bridging the old and the new

One of TVekstra’s key innovations is “Hybrid TV Planning,” a methodology that bridges traditional linear TV buying (based on Gross Rating Points and Cost per Point) with digital metrics such as CPM.

“HbbTV sits right between offline TV and online advertising,” said Gürel. “Media agencies often struggle to compare them, so we created a hybrid model that feels familiar to TV planners while still offering the precision of digital.”

This hybrid approach helps unlock budgets from offline TV rather than competing with other digital platforms. “We don’t want to fight each other in online advertising,” he added. “We want to open new budgets from traditional TV.”

Interactive and data-driven formats

TVekstra has also developed a range of interactive and data-driven ad formats, showcasing how APIs and contextual data can enhance viewer engagement:

  • API-Driven Campaigns: By integrating live data feeds, such as sports scores, weather, or traffic, TVekstra transforms ads into value-added experiences. One campaign displayed live football results within an ad unit, updated in real time, achieving average viewer engagement of 11 minutes.
  • Automatic Content Recognition (ACR): Using AI-based image and audio analysis directly on the TV device, TVekstra can trigger context-aware ads during specific moments in TV shows. For example, when a scene referenced “summer holidays,” an overlay for a beachwear brand appeared, delivering significantly higher click-through rates.
  • Data-Linked Campaigns: Through its partnership with Adform, TVekstra enables campaigns that link exposure data from TV to digital retargeting or CRM systems. This allows advertisers to follow up with viewers who saw a TV ad, or exclude those who did, improving efficiency and performance.
  • Brand Lift Surveys (BLS): TVekstra can now conduct post-campaign surveys directly on smart TVs, measuring ad recall or brand advocacy within the same environment. “Viewers are more willing to interact with surveys than with ads,” Gürel noted, “so response rates are often twice as high.”

Together, these capabilities move HbbTV advertising beyond brand awareness into measurable performance marketing, an evolution that resonates strongly with MENA advertisers seeking accountability and ROI.

Smart TV and HbbTV developments in the MENA market

Atinç Ögüt, Deputy General Manager, Vestel

From the manufacturer’s viewpoint, Atinç Ögüt of Vestel explored how smart TV hardware and software are evolving to meet the region’s diverse needs.

Vestel is one of Europe’s largest TV manufacturers, number three in unit volume, and the market leader in Turkey. While best known for its OEM partnerships, Vestel is now extending its footprint beyond Europe into the Middle East and North Africa, where smart TV adoption is accelerating but connectivity remains uneven.

Ögüt described how Vestel, in collaboration with Eutelsat, is developing solutions that combine DVB-I service discovery with HbbTV metadata distribution .

“When we analysed the market, we saw that internet connectivity varies greatly, very high in the UAE, moderate in Saudi Arabia, and as low as 15 percent in Egypt,” said Ögüt. “We needed a hybrid strategy that works for both online and offline viewers.”

Hybrid approaches for a hybrid region

Vestel’s forthcoming SAT TV Connect and Sat.TV solution, developed with Eutelsat, exemplifies this hybrid model. It enables service discovery and metadata delivery via internet (DVB-I) while adding interactivity through HbbTV.

The approach supports country – specific service list in MENA region (and language-specific service lists in Europe), localized metadata, and targeted ad delivery, ensuring a consistent user experience across MENA’s fragmented infrastructure.

Preparing for addressable advertising

Ögüt also emphasized Vestel’s role in enabling addressable advertising at the device level, leveraging HbbTV features to deliver L-shaped banners and video overlays. These capabilities, he said, will underpin the next wave of monetisation across the region.

“Our goal is to create opportunities for targeted advertising using both broadcast and broadband signals,” he explained. “We see HbbTV and DVB-I as the bridge to achieve that.”

Together with the partners, Vestel plans to showcase further innovations at the HbbTV Symposium & Awards 2025 in Istanbul.

HbbTV services and solutions in MENA

Ralph Edeine, Head of Engineering and Technical Solutions, Eutelsat

Concluding the webinar, Ralph Edeine from Eutelsat presented the operator’s vision for transforming the satellite free-to-air (FTA) experience in MENA through HbbTV-based services.

Eutelsat distributes over 1,000 FTA channels to more than 100 million households across the region from its orbital positions at 13° East, 16° East and 7/8° West. Despite this abundance, he noted, the user experience has historically been poor: channels appear in random order, and many receivers lack electronic programme guides (EPGs).

To address this, Eutelsat launched Sat.tv, a service that standardises and manages satellite service lists while providing automatic installation, updates, and seven-day EPGs. Originally focused on non-connected set-top boxes, the platform is now evolving into Sat.tv connect, a connected-TV service that leverages HbbTV and DVB-I to enable interactivity, analytics, and advertising.

Four service layers for Sat.tv connect

Edeine outlined four layers of functionality in the sat.tv connect model:

  1. Service Discovery via DVB-I: Automatically installs satellite channel lists, categorized by language and country.
  2. Enriched EPG Portals: Provides a multi-language, seven-day guide accessible via HbbTV, enabling viewers to browse and zap between channels seamlessly.
  3. Branded EPG Channels: Offers broadcasters their own interactive guide pages, integrating logos, now/next info, and quick links to live programming.
  4. Analytics and Advertising: Embeds measurement agents within branded portals to collect viewing data, empowering broadcasters with usage dashboards and paving the way for addressable ad models.

“This is the first step toward data-driven strategies for free-to-air broadcasters,” said Edeine. “We can provide audience measurement, and from there we can move to programmatic ad insertion or overlay advertising.”

Eutelsat has partnered with FAST-channel aggregators WeDoTV and SoFAST, integrating their feeds into the Sat.tv EPG and enabling new ad-supported business models for satellite distribution. Future iterations of Sat.tv Connect aim to support real-time advertising, L-banners, and open-programmatic ad insertion, giving broadcasters the tools to monetise both linear and on-demand viewing.

Edeine concluded by inviting technology partners across the HbbTV ecosystem to collaborate on these initiatives and help MENA broadcasters capture the full potential of hybrid delivery.

A region on the verge of transformation

The Q&A session that followed underscored both the promise and the challenges of HbbTV adoption in the MENA region. While no government mandates currently require HbbTV support in devices, as is the case in some European markets, momentum is clearly building from the industry side.

Edeine confirmed that Eutelsat and its partners are closely monitoring regulatory developments country by country, while Gürel noted that in some markets HbbTV functionality exists in devices but remains deactivated by manufacturers or local policies.

Despite these variations, all speakers agreed that MENA is at an inflection point. Broadcasters are looking beyond satellite-only delivery toward hybrid models; advertisers are demanding measurability and addressability; and device makers are enabling the technical foundations for interactive, data-driven TV.

As Cem Eroğlu put it early in the session:

“The competition between open web and walled gardens is better than ever before. We’re no longer the leftover inventory, we’re the first frequency, starting from the household.”

Looking ahead to Istanbul

The webinar concluded with a reminder that these themes will feature prominently at the HbbTV Symposium and Awards 2025, taking place 12–13 November in Istanbul, co-hosted by the HbbTV Association and TVekstra.

The event will explore topics including addressable advertising, hybrid broadcast-broadband delivery, new monetisation models, and the growing role of HbbTV in emerging markets such as MENA, Asia, and Eastern Europe.

With smart TV penetration accelerating, satellite operators modernising their platforms, and broadcasters embracing data-driven advertising, the MENA region is poised to become a showcase for the next phase of HbbTV innovation.

About the webinar

Title: HbbTV in MENA – Unlocking New Opportunities for Addressable Advertising and Monetisation
Date: 15 October 2025, 10:00–11:00 CEST
Speakers:

  • Cem Eroğlu, VP Turkey & MEA & Central Asia, Adform
  • Tuna Gürel, Chief Revenue Officer, TVekstra
  • Atinç Ögüt, Deputy General Manager, Consumer Electronics Product Management, Vestel
  • Ralph Edeine, Head of Engineering and Technical Solutions, Eutelsat

Moderator: Jörn Krieger, Journalist

A recording of the webinar is available on YouTube.

Next Webinar: Inside HbbTV DRM – Standards, Market Insights, and Real-World Deployments (29 October 2025)

For more information on upcoming webinars and the HbbTV Symposium & Awards 2025, visit www.hbbtv.org.

Webinar announcement: HbbTV in MENA

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

Unlocking New Opportunities for Addressable Advertising and Monetisation

The MENA region is rapidly evolving for connected TV and streaming. Rising smart TV adoption and HbbTV-based solutions are creating new ways for broadcasters, device makers, and adtech companies to engage viewers and monetise content.

Our next HbbTV webinar on Wednesday, 15 October, 10:00-11:00 CEST, explores the latest market dynamics and opportunities ahead of the HbbTV Symposium and Awards 2025 on 12-13 November in Istanbul, co-hosted with TVekstra.

Agenda

The Rise of (C)TV Against Walled Gardens
Speaker: Cem Eroğlu, VP Turkey & MEA & Central Asia, Adform
Cem Eroğlu will discuss how connected TV is reshaping MENA’s media landscape and how HbbTV enables open, data-driven ecosystems beyond walled gardens.

Next-Generation Monetisation in HbbTV & Connected TV
Speaker: Tuna Gürel, Chief Revenue Officer, TVekstra
Tuna Gürel will highlight innovative monetisation strategies using HbbTV, including targeted ads, audience measurement, and interactive experiences, with examples from MENA.

Smart TV and HbbTV Developments in the MENA Market
Speaker: Atinç Ögüt, Deputy General Manager / Consumer Electronics Product Management, Vestel
Atinç Ögüt will provide a manufacturer’s perspective on smart TV growth and HbbTV expansion that boosts viewer engagement and broadcaster relations.

HbbTV Services and Solutions in MENA
Speaker: Ralph Edeine, Head of Engineering and Technical Solutions, Eutelsat
Ralph Edeine will present Eutelsat’s initiatives in the MENA region, focusing on HbbTV-based services and technical solutions supporting broadcasters and service providers.

Q&A with all speakers
Moderator: Jörn Krieger, Journalist

Registration
Please sign up here to attend the webinar.

We look forward to your participation in this live session.

HbbTV in action: Best practice case studies from across Europe

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

The HbbTV standard has become the foundation of many of Europe’s most innovative television experiences. From interactive services and audience measurement to addressable advertising and accessibility, broadcasters and platform operators are using HbbTV to enhance viewer engagement and create new business opportunities.

Here are some standout examples of HbbTV in action around the world.

Restart and On-Demand TV: Spain’s LovesTV

A joint initiative by Atresmedia, Mediaset España, and RTVE, LovesTV is one of Europe’s most successful HbbTV-based services. The free-to-air platform offers an enhanced interactive experience that combines live and on-demand viewing.

  • Restart a live program from the beginning
  • Watch programmes from the past seven days
  • Browse recommendations and upcoming shows
  • Explore an improved interactive programme guide

LovesTV demonstrates how HbbTV can unify the broadcast and broadband experience while maintaining the simplicity of traditional TV.

Visit LovesTV

Audience Measurement: Austria’s Teletest 2.0

Thomas Gruber: Co-CEO bei ProSiebenSat.1 PULS 4 // Chairman of AGTT

Austria’s Teletest 2.0 shows how HbbTV data can power next-generation audience measurement. Launched in 2024 by Arbeitsgemeinschaft Teletest (AGTT) and Screenforce Österreich, the system integrates return-path data from over one million HbbTV-enabled devices.

By combining real-time viewing insights with traditional panel data, Teletest 2.0 provides:

  • More accurate audience tracking
  • Elimination of zero rated shows
  • Faster reporting cycles
  • Enhanced data for advertisers and agencies

This approach strengthens broadcasters’ understanding of their audiences and showcases the analytical potential of HbbTV.

Read more on Broadband TV News

Unified Streaming and Live TV: The UK’s Freely (OpApp)

In the UK, Freely – launched in 2024 by Everyone TV (a joint venture between BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5) – uses the HbbTV Operator Application (OpApp) specification to deliver a seamless, IP-based viewing experience.

Freely allows viewers to switch effortlessly between live and on-demand channels via a unified electronic programme guide (EPG), all streamed over broadband. There’s no need for an aerial — the TV connects via Wi-Fi, showing how HbbTV can power the transition to IP-only television.

This implementation offers a glimpse into the future of free-to-air TV in a connected world.

Visit Freely

Addressable and Interactive Advertising

HbbTV enables broadcasters to combine the reach of broadcast with the precision of digital. Across Europe, addressable advertising powered by HbbTV is delivering personalised ad experiences at scale.

  • Dynamic ad substitution (DAS) replacing broadcast ads with broadband-targeted ads
  • L-shaped banners and on-screen calls-to-action
  • Interactive commerce and appointment booking features

In addition to the core HbbTV specification, the DVB Addressable Advertising (DVB-TA) specification defines a common framework for delivering and substituting broadcast and broadband advertisements in a synchronized and standards-based way. It ensures that ad replacement on connected TVs is frame-accurate, seamless, and interoperable across different devices and broadcasters.

In Italy, Mediaset implemented HbbTV-TA in partnership with a major TV manufacturer to guarantee frame-accurate ad replacement and smooth transitions between broadcast and broadband content.

Barker Channels and Enhanced Discovery: ARTE Channel 77

ARTE TV

France’s ARTE pioneered the concept of a “barker channel”, an HbbTV service available on DTT channel 77. Viewers can tune directly to this channel or follow a prompt from the main ARTE broadcast to enter a rich HbbTV environment featuring thousands of hours of on-demand content.

The service was authorised by the French media regulator (CSA) and illustrates how HbbTV can extend editorial reach within the regulated broadcast framework.

Learn more

Accessibility Services in the UK and Germany

Freeview Play’s Accessible TV Guide

HbbTV also plays a key role in making television more inclusive.

In the UK, Freeview Play’s Accessible TV Guide (available on channel 555) provides:

  • Filters for subtitles, audio description, and sign language
  • High-contrast, zoomed interfaces for legibility
  • Optional text-to-speech navigation for blind or partially sighted viewers

Similarly, in Germany, ARD delivers accessibility enhancements via HbbTV, including subtitling, sign-language streams, and synchronised audio description through companion apps. These use cases highlight HbbTV’s flexibility to support diverse accessibility needs and regulatory requirements.

Conclusion

From Spain’s hybrid catch-up services to the UK’s IP-only platforms and Austria’s data-driven measurement, these examples underline the versatility and maturity of HbbTV across Europe. They show how open standards can power both creativity and efficiency, helping broadcasters, manufacturers, and developers deliver the next generation of connected TV experiences.

HbbTV: The hidden engine powering the future of TV advertising

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

The annual Connected TV World Summit in London has long been a meeting ground for the brightest minds in television, gathering strategists, innovators, and executives to discuss the future of an industry that is constantly evolving. In 2023, the focus was on how traditional TV could compete with the rise of streaming giants, and one of the most promising tools discussed was Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV). Now, just two years later, at the 2025 edition of the summit, it has become clear that HbbTV is not just an idea – it is a transformational force in the world of advertising and audience engagement.

In 2023, discussions centred on HbbTV’s potential to modernise television with interactive, digital-first services and, most notably, its ability to bring targeted advertising (TA) into linear TV. At the time, the HbbTV-TA specification was new, and while the concept was promising, it was still unproven. This year, however, industry leaders outlined how they have successfully integrated HbbTV into their businesses, demonstrating its effectiveness in real-world applications.

Revolutionising audience measurement and advertising in Europe

One of the most compelling discussions at the 2025 summit came from Thomas Gruber, Co-CEO of ProSiebenSat.1 Puls 4 Austria and Chairman of Austrian TV ratings provider AGTT. He revealed that Austrian advertisers can now access real-time TV audience measurement, including demographics, thanks to return channel data from HbbTV TV sets. This level of insight allows media buyers to optimise their investments with precision, significantly reducing the number of zero-rated advertising spots for the key 12-to-49 demographic by 97%.

Austria has also leveraged HbbTV for dynamic campaign optimisation. With TV-LOAD, linear TV campaign delivery can now be adjusted in real time based on live audience data. This capability enables advertisers to make the most of fluctuating viewership patterns, improving ad relevance and effectiveness.

Moritz Wuttke, Board Member and Vice-Chairman of Konodrac, provided another powerful example, explaining how HbbTV has helped create the largest TV audience panel in the world, covering 15 million households and 18 million TV sets. This data-driven approach has led to a 15% increase in TV advertising revenues by ensuring advertisers know exactly which homes have seen a given ad, thus improving ad targeting and effectiveness.

Spain’s ATRESMedia, represented by Project Manager Jorge Caba Molina, showcased how HbbTV has enabled innovative new advertising formats, such as the “Switch-In” feature. This allows an advertiser a second chance to deliver an ad to a viewer who might have missed the original commercial break when tuning into a channel – a form of real-time re-targeting that increases brand exposure and ad efficiency.

Moritz Wuttke and Jorge Caba Molina

Ensuring seamless integration and future-proofing TV

Beyond advertising innovations, HbbTV is also playing a key role in shaping the broader TV experience. Yorick M., Director of Strategy, and Orpheus Warr, CTO of UK platform provider Everyone TV, discussed how Freely, based on the HbbTV Operator Application specification, provides a streamlined entry point into UK broadcasters’ rich content libraries. This is a critical step in preparing for a future where TV distribution may become entirely internet-based.

Ensuring HbbTV-TA operates flawlessly across different television models is also a priority. Peter Neumann, CTO of the Addressable TV Initiative (ATVI), highlighted their work in Germany, where the company is certifying HbbTV-TA implementations across a variety of TV sets. This certification process guarantees that broadcasters and advertisers can execute frame-accurate ad replacements – down to mere milliseconds – without viewers even noticing the transition.

HbbTV: Driving innovation in the evolving TV landscape

While much of the media industry’s excitement has focused on the meteoric rise of streaming services, traditional linear TV remains a dominant force. Despite the rapid growth of subscription-based platforms and ad-supported streaming, millions of viewers across Europe and beyond continue to consume television through linear broadcasts. This enduring presence highlights the need for innovation within traditional TV, ensuring it remains competitive in an increasingly digital landscape.

The past fifteen years of innovation in open standards for interactive television are now paying off, proving that HbbTV is far more than just a technological experiment – it is a key driver of the future of television advertising. As broadcasters continue to defend, adapt, and grow their businesses, HbbTV is quietly, but powerfully revolutionising the way audiences engage with television in the digital age.

Jörn Krieger
Freelance journalist
With contributions from Vincent Grivet and Matthew Huntington.

Google releases HbbTV sample app for linear addressable advertising

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

A new HbbTV sample application showcasing linear addressable TV capabilities has been released by Google, providing developers with a ready-to-use framework for building advanced advertising solutions. This application, powered by Google DAI pods, enables enhanced ad experiences for HbbTV 2.0 enabled devices.

Linear addressable TV allows broadcasters and advertisers to deliver personalised ads to individual viewers, increasing engagement and return on investment. This new sample application demonstrates how to seamlessly replace traditional linear ad breaks with targeted digital ads within HbbTV, ensuring a consistent and uninterrupted viewing experience.

Comprehensive developer documentation has been made available accompanying the sample application which has been published on Github.

“Developers can now easily integrate Dynamic Ad Substitution (DAS) into their HbbTV applications with this open source code.” said David Uhlmann, Head of Video Solutions EMEA at Google.

The sample application uses Media Source Extension (MSE) but doesn’t support HbbTV-TA, to achieve support for the broadest range of devices. 

Google is keen to receive feedback, which can be submitted through Github issues.

Invitation to HbbTV webinar: addressable advertising via HbbTV

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

The rapidly evolving world of addressable advertising is set to take center stage in an upcoming webinar on October 1, 2024. Hosted by industry experts, this virtual session will explore the latest developments, challenges, and future prospects of HbbTV technology, specifically focusing on the HbbTV-TA specification. The event will take place from 10:00-11:00 CEST.

What to Expect

The webinar will provide a comprehensive overview of the current market for addressable advertising in Europe. Attendees will gain insights into notable initiatives and developments, with a focus on how broadcasters and manufacturers (CEMs) are adapting to the changing landscape. Discussions will center around how advertisers are shifting budgets from traditional broadcast to digital platforms, and the benefits HbbTV-TA offers in making this transition smoother.

Key topics on the agenda include:

  • The migration of advertising budgets from broadcast to digital platforms
  • Notable HbbTV addressable advertising initiatives across Europe
  • Market perspectives for targeted advertising in the region
  • Challenges faced by broadcasters and CEMs when implementing dynamic ad substitution
  • Benefits of the HbbTV-TA specification for broadcasters
  • ATVI’s efforts to establish a harmonized technical standard across Europe
  • A brief introduction to TEMI/StreamEvent TA Generator and real-world advertising synchronization
  • The latest developments in the Italian market

Esteemed Speakers

The webinar will feature presentations from leading figures in the addressable advertising field:

  • Ophélie Boucaud, Principal Analyst at Dataxis, will bring her expertise in TV, telecommunications, and OTT markets across EMEA. Boucaud has been with Dataxis since 2020 and frequently contributes to industry discussions on advanced advertising and telecom technologies.
  • Peter Neumann, CTO of the Addressable TV Initiative (ATVI), will provide insights on dynamic ad substitution and addressable TV technology. ATVI, founded by RTL Deutschland and ProSiebenSat.1, has been instrumental in promoting open standards like HbbTV for dynamic ad insertion across Europe.
  • Johannes Schmid, General Manager and co-founder of MIT-xperts, has been at the forefront of interactive TV since 2001. Schmid’s company has been a key player in HbbTV development, focusing on products for interactive TV and contributing to the advancement of HbbTV applications.
  • Andrea Conte, Director, Product Development & Data, Publitalia ’80/Mediase, leads Advertising Technical Operations, Product Development and Data Science units where he developed the first Connected TV advertising offering in Italy. He is in charge of the launch and growth of products and services enabling addressable advertising and targeting solutions. At the webinar he will provide insight into the latest developments and trials in the Italian market.

The event will be moderated by Jörn Krieger, a seasoned freelance journalist with deep expertise in the media and technology space.

Join the Webinar

The webinar promises to be an informative and engaging session for professionals interested in the future of addressable advertising. Whether you’re a broadcaster, manufacturer, or advertiser, the insights shared will help shape your strategy in the rapidly shifting media landscape.

Don’t miss the opportunity to hear from these thought leaders and learn about the exciting future of HbbTV and targeted advertising.

How to Register

Register today to secure your spot and stay ahead in the dynamic world of addressable advertising!

Register

Austria to measure TV ratings via HbbTV

Posted on by Matthew Huntington

The AGTT, which measures TV and video usage in Austria, will upgrade its system with HbbTV-based data collection from 1 September 2024.

AGTT, which stands for Arbeitsgemeinschaft Teletest, is a consortium responsible for measuring and analysing television viewership ratings in Austria. AGTT was established by major Austrian broadcasters to standardise and oversee the process of television audience measurement in the country.

AGTT operates the Teletest system, which is the official method for measuring TV ratings in Austria. This system uses a traditional panel for audience measurement, that is a representative sample of households equipped with special devices to record viewing habits, which are then used to compile viewership data.

The system is being updated to also include data from 1.1 million HbbTV devices.

Full article from Broadband TV News.

HbbTV releases Targeted Advertising solution for TV sets in set-top box markets

Posted on by domagoj@hbbtv

Geneva, July 20, 2021 – The HbbTV Association is pleased to announce the publication of the second phase of its solution for Targeted Advertising (TA). This enables substitution of broadcast adverts with targeted adverts in situations where the broadcast TV signal is received by a set-top box (STB) and passed to the HbbTV TV set via a connection such as HDMI.

The HbbTV Application Discovery Over Broadband (ADB) specification already defines how broadcasters can add signalling to video and audio which survives the HDMI connection and can be used by a TV set to launch an HbbTV app. This specification has now been updated to enable broadcaster apps to use the HbbTV TA API to schedule a precise switch from HDMI to an advert and back again when the TV set is connected via a STB.

The combination of ADB and TA will enable broadcasters to reach more of their audience with targeted advertising, and also to offer targeted inventories to advertisers in a homogeneous manner – two aspects which are very important to preserve revenues and realise new growth opportunities in the face of competition from other advertising categories and chiefly from the native digital inventories such as web and mobile.

HbbTV’s work on Targeted Advertising has been done in cooperation with the DVB Project. DVB developed the original requirements and their own related specifications for signalling when broadcast adverts can be replaced. Both HbbTV ADB and DVB TA employ the ATSC 3.0 video and audio watermark solutions to enable signalling to survive carriage over an HDMI connection.

“The release of the TA solution for STB markets is a perfect example of how HbbTV adjusts its specifications to the needs of industry players, enabling them to adjust to real market circumstances and grow their business through new revenue sources,” said Vincent Grivet, Chair of the HbbTV Association.