Digital Video Ad Spends to Surpass TV by 2026, Says Amazon MX Player’s Karan Bedi

Digital Video Advertising Set to Outpace TV by 2026, Predicts Karan Bedi

In a bold yet data-driven forecast, Karan Bedi, CEO of Amazon MX Player, has stated that digital video advertising in India is on track to surpass television ad spending by 2026. The prediction highlights a pivotal shift in the media landscape, as digital consumption rapidly overtakes traditional formats.

Speaking at a recent industry forum, Bedi pointed to increased smartphone penetration, affordable mobile data, and streaming-first behavior as primary drivers fueling this transformation.

India’s Digital Surge: Fueling the Change

According to Bedi, India’s unique market dynamics—a young population, mobile-first users, and an expanding regional content ecosystem—have positioned digital video as the leading force in entertainment consumption.

“Television is still strong,” Bedi acknowledged, “but the shift is inevitable. Audiences today expect on-demand, bite-sized, and hyper-personalized content—which only digital can deliver efficiently.”

With over 850 million internet users in the country and a growing appetite for short-form and long-form streaming content, advertisers are quickly moving budgets toward digital platforms that offer precision targeting, real-time data, and interactive formats.

Why Advertisers Prefer Digital Now

Bedi emphasized that digital video offers unparalleled transparency and measurement, which gives brands more confidence in their ad spending. From impressions and clicks to user engagement metrics, brands can track ROI far more accurately than with traditional TV ratings.

Key advantages driving this shift include:

• Data-driven audience segmentation

• Cost-efficient campaign execution

• Flexibility to test, pause, and optimize in real time

• Integration of commerce and storytelling in video formats

This is particularly appealing to D2C brands, fintech, edtech, and gaming companies, all of which are aggressively adopting digital-first media strategies.

MX Player's Evolving Role in the Digital Video Space

As part of the Amazon ecosystem, MX Player has been sharpening its focus on regional content, vernacular programming, and AVOD (ad-supported video on demand). Bedi shared that the platform is actively innovating with ad tech, immersive ad formats, and branded content integrations to enhance monetization.

“We’re not just offering scale, we’re offering contextually relevant storytelling,” he noted.

With millions of users across India’s Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, MX Player plays a significant role in bridging mainstream and digital entertainment, giving brands access to markets that traditional media often under-serves.

TV Still Has Value—but Digital Is the Future

While television continues to hold value for mass-market reach and live sports, the growth momentum is clearly with digital. Industry reports already show double-digit annual growth in online video ad revenue, compared to flat or declining growth for linear TV.

Conclusion

The insights shared by Karan Bedi reflect a fundamental realignment of the advertising ecosystem. As consumer behavior evolves and brands seek smarter, trackable media options, digital video is quickly becoming the most powerful platform for engagement. With 2026 just around the corner, the countdown to this new digital era has clearly begun.