Connected TV (CTV) is any television screen that receives video content over the internet — through a smart TV app, a streaming stick (Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast), or an internet-connected set-top box. Examples in India: watching JioCinema on a Samsung smart TV, streaming IPL on Hotstar through a Fire TV Stick, or accessing SonyLIV on an Android TV box.
Regular TV — also called linear TV — delivers content via broadcast signal, cable, or satellite (DTH). The viewer watches a scheduled programme on a fixed channel. There is no on-demand, no personalisation, and no individual tracking of who watched what.
The core differences that matter for advertisers:
- Delivery: CTV uses internet (IP). Linear TV uses broadcast, cable, or satellite.
- Scheduling: CTV is on-demand. Linear TV is scheduled — the channel decides what plays when.
- Targeting: CTV can target specific households or demographics based on platform data. Linear TV targets broad audience segments estimated by panels like BARC India.
- Measurement: CTV counts individual impressions. Linear TV estimates audiences from a panel of sample homes.
- Ad buying: CTV can be bought programmatically. Linear TV is bought through direct deals with broadcasters or agencies.
In India, linear TV still reaches far more households — BARC India puts total TV viewership at 800 million+ [NEEDS SOURCE — cite current BARC annual report]. CTV reaches a smaller but growing, higher-income, urban audience. The two are complementary, not competitive, in most media plans today.
Useful Tool
CTV Readiness Framework — assess whether CTV belongs in your media plan and at what budget level
Full guide
For a complete explanation, read: What is Connected TV (CTV)? Definition, how it works, and why it matters