CTV vs Broadcast: Market-by-Market
Across 28 markets, broadcast still holds 63% of legal ad spend. But the fastest-growing markets have the lowest CTV adoption. Here's what the data shows.
The legal advertising industry spent over $2.5 billion in 2024. Most of it still goes to broadcast TV.
But the data tells a more nuanced story.
The National Split
Across 28 markets we analyzed for clients in 2025:
- Broadcast: 63%
- Cable: 15%
- CTV: 22%
Broadcast dominates. But that 22% CTV number hides significant variation.
High CTV Markets
| Market | CTV Share | Monthly Spend | Key Insight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas | 33% | $4,505,138 | YouTube App outspends most broadcast stations |
| Seattle | 27% | $2,619,198 | Tech-forward, fragmented competition |
| Spokane | 25% | $1,011,234 | Fast-growing, early adopters winning |
These markets are ahead of the curve. In Las Vegas, two firms (Dimopoulos and Golightly) already run 100% CTV while competitors stay broadcast-heavy.
Low CTV Markets
| Market | CTV Share | Monthly Spend | Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus-Tupelo | 18% | $1,550,157 | Underserved, +19.3% growth |
| Little Rock | 18% | $2,611,643 | Morgan dominates broadcast |
| Jackson | 18% | $2,346,585 | 38% Morgan share on broadcast |
| Savannah | 18% | $2,924,925 | Hottest growth (+23%), CTV wide open |
| Biloxi | 18% | $867,617 | Morris Bart owns broadcast |
These markets have one thing in common: dominant players on broadcast and wide-open streaming.
The Pattern
The fastest-growing markets have the lowest CTV adoption:
- Savannah: +23.0% growth, 18% CTV
- Spokane: +20.3% growth, 25% CTV
- Seattle: +20.2% growth, 27% CTV
- Columbus-Tupelo: +19.3% growth, 18% CTV
- San Antonio: +19.1% growth, 22% CTV
When markets heat up, broadcast gets crowded and expensive. CTV remains the path of less resistance.
The Math
Broadcast:
- Broad reach, declining viewership
- Daypart targeting (hope your audience is watching)
- No household-level data
- Limited attribution
CTV:
- Growing viewership (46% of TV time nationally)
- Household-level targeting
- Non-skippable, 100% completion
- Full attribution (impressions → visits → cases)
The firms figuring this out now are building presence before CTV costs rise.