OTT (over-the-top)
OTT refers to video and audio services delivered over the internet without going through a cable or satellite operator: Netflix, Prime Video, broadcasters’ apps, YouTube or Spotify.
The name comes from the fact that these services run “over the top” of the operator’s network, which only provides the connection. They are watched on connected TVs, phones, tablets or computers. Depending on how they are funded, they are described as SVOD (subscription), AVOD (free with ads), TVOD (pay per title) or hybrid models, such as the cheaper ad-supported plans Netflix launched in 2022.
OTT and CTV are often used interchangeably, but they do not mean the same thing: OTT describes how the content is delivered, and CTV the screen it is watched on. An ad in a broadcaster’s app is OTT on both a phone and a TV, and CTV only on the TV. The distinction matters when planning and reading reports, because price, attention and measurement vary considerably from one screen to another.
