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By India McCarty
This year’s network upfronts are about to kick off, promising to showcase social media content creators, advances in AI and more to potential advertisers.
“Yes, there’s a lot of noise, but I still think marketers are spending money,” an ad sales chief told The Hollywood Reporter of some doubts that advertisers will want to shell out for TV and streaming ad campaigns.
Another added, “I wouldn’t say it’s a bull market, but it’s definitely not a bear market. There is a little bit of cautiousness as it relates to the macroeconomic climate, the general economy, interest rates, so on and so forth. And then I do think that the geopolitical stuff is top of mind for a lot of people, but it hasn’t transpired or translated into any meaningful deviations.”
TV? What TV? The 2026 Upfronts Will Be Heavy on Creators, Football and AI Ad Tech https://t.co/0EL2OS6SXp
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) May 11, 2026
Related: Netflix Centers Future Content Plans Around AI
Experts predicted a major push for NFL and other professional sports games, pointing to this year’s FIFA World Cup, a new WNBA deal and the Walt Disney Co.’s bid for the 2027 Super Bowl.
THR also noted that social media content creators will be out in full force, whether it’s Netflix shows from YouTube creators, like Ms. Rachel and Mark Rober, to video formats of popular podcasts.
Amazon made use of some social media star power with their Monday presentation; the streamer enlisted podcaster Paige DeSorbo and rappers Tierra Whack and Ice Spice to talk about everything from custom ad delivery to Twitch streaming.
“Fans aren’t just watching. They’re part of it,” Ice Spice said as part of her Twitch presentation. “That kind of reaction, you can only get that on Twitch.”
“Upfronts are not — and premium video is not — just about this professionally produced superstar talents,” a buy side source told THR. “Tubi has a creator offering Disney, all of these major networks, NBC used [creators] for the Olympics. What lived outside of the mainstream now is the mainstream. The TikTok-ification of TV.”
There will also be plenty of AI news — “Last year Amazon and Netflix unveiled ad formats that use generative AI to develop custom creative. Expect more of that this year,” THR reported.
NBCUniversal also already held their presentation, with Pearlena Igbokwe, Chairman, Television Studios, NBC Entertainment & Peacock Scripted, sharing her thoughts on the future for the company’s streamer, Peacock.
“Think about it; live events, sports, news, blockbuster Universal films, premier Spanish-language programming from Telemundo, premium, original entertainment, next-day NBC and Bravo series all coming together on Peacock,” she said. “It’s a winning competition, and as we celebrate this incredible 100-year milestone and the evolution of NBCUniversal, we’re looking forward to launching must-see moments of tomorrow. The future is coming, dare I say, fast and furious, and we’re ready.”
It will be interesting to see what kind of changes the upfronts bring.
Read Next: Peacock Continues to Pump Out Content. Is That a Good Thing?
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