The pairing of app-based businesses and television advertising may seem as unlikely as General Motors and classified advertising.

But for app-based businesses to grow, the scale of television can be exactly what they need.

Although the impending Presidential election is still months away, TV media buyers are already bracing themselves for what may be the most challenging election season of all time.

What makes 2016 any different from the past? 

Political advertisers are buying more cable TV than ever, but not necessarily in prime-time or on the networks you'd expect.

Channels that haven't historically seemed like obvious buys for political advertisers, including Food Network and HGTV, have sold more than three times the amount of TV spots to political buyers this election cycle compared to 2012.

About 17% of Americans over the age of 12—around 46 million people—listen to at least one podcast each month, up from just 9% in 2008, according to estimates from Edison Research last year.

Gawd. It's deafening.

On blogs and news feeds and podcasts and even the printed page(!), all I hear is the relentless drumbeat of The Next Big Media Thing.

On a cold January Day in Chicago, there is one guaranteed way to warm your belly and lift your spirit.

The Eicoff Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup Day.

Adults 25-54 watch more than three hours of live TV per day in 24 of the top 25 designated market areas (DMAs), with another 30-plus minutes of viewing time-shifted TV, and more than seven minutes consuming on multimedia devices.

“There’s no better place to communicate how Rocket Mortgage will help Americans reach their homeownership goals, and in turn impact the entire economy, than during America’s favorite game,” said Jay Farner, President and Chief Marketing Officer for Quicken Loans.

"Are you ready to open? Ready to compete? Ready to welcome?" different business owners and employees ask as Cintas helps them by delivering uniforms, providing cleaning services and offering safety gear and training.

Has there been a more talked about topic in the video advertising world than programmatic television? The potential value of using data and automation in TV buying is clear, but applying the principles of digital programmatic advertising to television has proven to be a challenging proposition.

A recent Nielsen study revealed that the increased use of internet-ready devices like smart phones is linked to a corresponding decline in television viewership, especially in the 18-34-year-old age group. This does not mean people are not seeing the same ads on TV as they are on their phone. “double-screening” provides more opportunity for conversion. Check out this blog by our president Bill McCabe!

Though Democrats have long had a stranglehold on Hispanic votes, Republicans are expected to pursue this key bloc in 2016 with presidential candidates including Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush boasting impressive popularity among Latinos.