The Shinka Journal

Product updates, ideas on running ad auctions, and notes from the team.

What Agentic AI Actually Means for CTV and DOOH Publishers

What Agentic AI Actually Means for CTV and DOOH Publishers

AI in advertising has largely focused on improving targeting and optimisation, while the operational side of media buying has remained heavily manual. Agentic AI changes that, especially in CTV and DOOH, by autonomously managing the complexity of deals, delivery, and yield optimisation at a scale humans simply can’t match.

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April 28, 2026
CTV Advertising Glossary

CTV Advertising Glossary

As CTV continues to evolve, the language around it can often feel as complex as the technology itself. But understanding the core terminology is not just about definitions, it’s about gaining a clearer view of how the ecosystem works and how its different parts connect.

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April 28, 2026
The Role of Transparency in Programmatic Advertising

The Role of Transparency in Programmatic Advertising

As programmatic ecosystems grow more complex, visibility into how inventory and spend move through the supply chain has become increasingly important. Transparency sits at the core of that need, shaping how confidently buyers and publishers can understand, trust, and transact within the market.

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April 28, 2026
What Is an SSP?

What Is an SSP?

As programmatic advertising has become the default way inventory is bought and sold, the platforms that connect publishers to demand have taken on a more central role. Among them, the SSP acts as a key layer in shaping how inventory is exposed, valued, and ultimately transacted in the market.

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April 28, 2026
How DOOH Auctions Work in Real Time

How DOOH Auctions Work in Real Time

As programmatic DOOH evolves, real-time bidding is becoming part of how inventory is bought and activated across digital screens. But while the concept borrows from traditional programmatic models, the way auctions function in physical environments introduces important differences that shape how campaigns are executed and valued.

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April 28, 2026
What Is Prebid for CTV?

What Is Prebid for CTV?

As CTV monetization becomes more sophisticated, publishers are looking for ways to bring greater transparency and consistency to how demand competes for their inventory. Prebid for CTV has emerged as one of the frameworks enabling that shift, helping standardize auction dynamics in an environment where control and fairness matter more than ever.

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April 28, 2026
What Is a CTV Mediation Layer?

What Is a CTV Mediation Layer?

As CTV monetization grows more complex, the way publishers manage and prioritize demand has become increasingly important. With multiple partners, auction types, and delivery constraints in play, mediation layers are emerging as a key part of the infrastructure that keeps everything running efficiently and under control.

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April 28, 2026
How Programmatic DOOH Works

How Programmatic DOOH Works

As digital infrastructure continues to reshape traditional channels, outdoor advertising is becoming more flexible, accessible, and data-driven. Programmatic DOOH sits at the center of that shift, changing not the screens themselves, but how inventory is bought, sold, and activated across real-world environments.

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April 27, 2026
ads.txt in 2026: Why Publishers Still Lose Revenue Over a “Simple” Text File

ads.txt in 2026: Why Publishers Still Lose Revenue Over a “Simple” Text File

ads.txt is one of those foundational pieces of programmatic infrastructure that rarely gets attention until something goes wrong. But as buyers place more emphasis on transparency and supply quality, even small gaps in how inventory is authorised and represented can have real commercial impact. The difference between a clean, well-managed file and a neglected one is often the difference between being confidently bought and quietly filtered out.

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April 27, 2026
Why 2026 is the year buyers stopped accepting black-box measurement

Why 2026 is the year buyers stopped accepting black-box measurement

Connected TV (CTV) has rapidly matured from a high-growth opportunity into a core part of media plans, bringing greater scrutiny to how it delivers and proves value. As investment increases, the focus is shifting from promise to proof, with measurement, transparency, and trust now at the center of the conversation.

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April 24, 2026
DOOH vs OOH: What’s the Difference?

DOOH vs OOH: What’s the Difference?

Out-of-home advertising is evolving as digital formats expand what’s possible in physical spaces, creating a clear divide between traditional and screen-based media. While both operate in the same environments, their capabilities, flexibility, and how they’re bought and measured differ significantly.

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April 24, 2026