The internet is at a crossroads. Not from the AI overlords that have been foretold but from a subtle yet profound shift in how we access and interact with content. AI-driven algorithms are reshaping search behaviors impacting traffic to publishers’ websites and threatening the transparency and accessibility of the open internet. Algorithmic content removal is sacrificing valuable historical information, while social media websites retreat from content regulations and fact-checking. Even user-generated content is no longer publicly visible on the sites just months after being posted (Pew Research Center).
This isn’t just about missing web content, it’s about the broader implications for how the open internet evolves. The dominance of walled gardens, AI platforms and the potential for these platforms to insert their own biases, censor or hide content highlight the risks to transparency and accessibility.
Adding to this crisis, professional journalism is under siege. Since January 2025 alone, over 900 journalists have lost their jobs (Press Gazette). This decline in professional journalism and the increasing inaccessibility of trustworthy content threaten the very fabric of our digital ecosystem.
So, what does this have to do with advertising? Quite a bit.
At the core of keeping the internet accessible, affordable, and open—with quality content, news, and information—is digital advertising.
With digital ad spending on the open internet predicted to hit $513 billion in 2025 (dentsu forecast), these revenue streams enable publishers to produce high-quality journalism, create compelling entertainment, and offer valuable services to users.
What would the world look like without investigative journalism, which holds the powerful accountable? What would happen to our culture and communities if we lost the collective moments and stories that inspire and challenge us?
Digital advertising empowers publishers to create groundbreaking content, from Pulitzer Prize-winning investigations to captivating original series. It supports the artists, writers, and innovators who shape our culture and drive human progress.
Introducing #FundedbyAdvertising
At PubMatic, we are proud to launch the #FundedbyAdvertising campaign to celebrate publishers – the newsmakers, the content creators, the storytellers, and the gate openers who drive the culture-defining moments of the open internet.
Good advertising creates a vibrant ecosystem of consumers, publishers, and advertisers – each with clear goals and ethical business practices. This includes a commitment to data privacy, transparency, and user experience. Innovative ad formats that respect user privacy, such as contextual advertising and interest-based advertising with robust controls, are essential for building trust and ensuring a positive user experience. Great advertising is, in itself, a culture driver, featuring creative campaigns that reflect our society, highlight breakthrough culture-making products and services, and revolutionize the sales process itself.
The mission of the #fundedbyadvertising campaign is to celebrate the pivotal role that digital advertising plays in keeping our culture and our communities thriving, as well as the role that PubMatic is proud to play in its evolution. From the live sports moments that thrill us, the films and TV shows that move us, and the stories and journalism that inform and shape us, #fundedbyadvertising celebrates an industry at the center of it all.
CTV & Live Sports: The Gold Canary of the Digital Transformation
The landscape of media consumption is undergoing a dramatic transformation as live sports and major cultural events increasingly migrate to digital environments. These shifts are not only changing how we consume content but are also redefining the very nature of shared cultural experiences.
Take Super Bowl LIX as an example: for the first time in history, it was broadcast on a Free Ad-Supported Television (FAST) channel, Tubi. This groundbreaking move resulted in a record-breaking streaming audience, with Tubi reaching 15.5 million peak concurrent streaming viewers and a 13.6 million average minute audience (Tubi). It was a watershed moment that underscored the growing demand for live sports on digital platforms.
This shift isn’t just about convenience; it’s about fostering community in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. Despite endless on-demand options, live sports remain one of the last bastions for shared cultural moments – where millions tune in simultaneously to experience collective joy or heartbreak together. A Nextdoor study found that 68% of U.S. adults reported meeting new people in their community because of sports, while 66% felt connected to their community due to sports.
Events like these are culture-making moments that define generations – and now they rely more heavily on digital advertising than ever before.
FAST & AVOD: Celebrating and Empowering Our Stories
For decades, TV has been the heartbeat of our culture, creating iconic “water cooler” moments that connect our workplaces and communities. But as we have transitioned to the digital age, these shared experiences are slipping away.
Yet there’s hope: CTV is emerging as a vital medium for storytelling in this new era. With $32.82 billion expected to flow into the medium in 2025 (EMARKETER), platforms like FAST channels are democratizing access to premium content while keeping it affordable for audiences.
For instance, the 2025 Oscars recently recorded its largest digital footprint ever – with 1.65 million viewers watching on mobile devices or personal computers. The total viewership reached 19.7 million, marking a five-year high (NBC News). This is a testament to how digital platforms are becoming indispensable for delivering culture-defining moments like awards shows or scripted series premiers.
#FundedbyAdvertising is our tribute to CTV partners like NBCUniversal, Paramount, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Roku. They breathe life into these narratives and ensure their invaluable work remains accessible and affordable through innovative digital advertising strategies.
The Unyielding Power of Professional Journalism on the Open Internet
At the heart of our commitment to the open internet is an unwavering commitment to professional journalism – a cornerstone of informed societies and open discourse that is currently under threat due to industry-wide layoffs and shrinking budgets. Our Co-Founder and CEO, Rajeev Goel, has extensively discussed the significant role of journalism on the open internet, and it remains a core tenet of our mission at PubMatic: to fuel the endless potential of internet content creators.
We want to foster a thriving, ad-supported open internet where global audiences can access information and entertainment freely or at a low cost. #FundedbyAdvertising emphasizes and highlights these culture-defining moments from our Peabody and Pulitzer-prize-winning partners like The New York Times, The Guardian, Vox Media, News Corp. and Conde Nast, and celebrates how digital advertising ensures that quality journalism continues to thrive.
Join Us
What prevents the internet from degenerating into a giant trolled ‘comments’ section is digital advertising.
For nearly 20 years, and to the tune of almost $10 billion, PubMatic has connected publishers with advertisers to deliver impactful campaigns that fuel businesses, shape consumer behavior, and propel economies forward.
Now more than ever, we’re proud to be the voice behind the #FundedbyAdvertising campaign. Let’s embrace the power of advertising and celebrate the publishers who bring us vital information and captivating entertainment.
By understanding and supporting the economic forces that sustain the open internet, we can ensure a future where information is accessible to all, where creativity flourishes, and where human connection remains at the heart of our digital experience.
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