While America's diverse populations command nearly $7 trillion in buying power, television representation is moving backward. Samba TV's 2025 State of Diversity on TV report reveals a 5% year-over-year decrease in diverse cast members among top shows, even as diverse audiences actively seek content where they see themselves represented.

This disconnect creates both a crisis and an opportunity for advertisers. Drawing from Samba TV's analysis of the top 100 TV shows and comprehensive ad impression data, here are five actionable insights to help advertisers navigate this challenging landscape and capture underserved markets.

1. Hispanic Audiences Represent a $2.8T Missed Opportunity

Despite comprising 20% of the U.S. population and wielding $2.8 trillion in spending power, Hispanic actors account for only 7% of cast members in top TV shows—a 64% underrepresentation. Meanwhile, Hispanic households receive just 15% of TV ad impressions, the same underrepresentation they experienced in 2024, highlighting the lack of progress in reaching this critical audience.

The data reveals Hispanic audiences don't show the same correlation between Hispanic-led content and viewership as other ethnic groups, suggesting current Hispanic programming either lacks cultural resonance, suffers from poor discoverability, or simply doesn't exist in sufficient quantity to drive engagement.

Key Action: Samba TV’s granular viewership data reveals precisely which content is connecting with Hispanic households, even amid a broader industry miss. Move beyond traditional Hispanic media buys and leverage advanced targeting to reach Hispanic households based on their actual viewing behavior across all content. 

‍

2. Asian Representation Collapsed 50% Year-Over-Year, Creating Targeting Challenges

‍

Asian representation in top TV shows dropped from 12% last year to just 6% in 2025—a 50% decline that directly impacts advertiser reach. This drop occurred when representative shows like Shōgun and Avatar: The Last Airbender went on hiatus without replacement programming, illustrating how quickly representation gains can evaporate.

Despite this content drought, Asian households command $1.4 trillion in spending power and show strong correlations between Asian-led content and viewership when it's available. 

Key Action: Diversify your Asian audience targeting to identify Asian households through their broader viewing patterns and online behaviors, connecting TV attention with online attention to nurture them at precise moments of the marketing funnel.

‍

3. Streaming vs. Linear Diversity Gap Reveals Platform Strategy Opportunities

‍

‍

Linear TV outperforms streaming in diverse representation, with 44% diverse cast members versus streaming's 40%, and particularly strong representation when it comes to Black cast members. ABC leads all platforms with 55% diverse cast members, driven by shows like Abbott Elementary.

This platform divergence creates strategic opportunities for advertisers. The most diverse Netflix shows have been renewed while the most diverse CBS and NBC shows were cancelled, suggesting diverse content performs better on streaming platforms despite lower overall representation.

Key Action: Align platform strategies with representation data. Concentrate Black audience campaigns on linear networks, especially ABC, while targeting Asian and mixed-race audiences through streaming platforms. Monitor renewal patterns to identify which diverse shows are gaining traction versus being cancelled.

‍

4. The +36% Diversity Correlation Proves Representation Drives Business Results

‍

‍

Samba TV's data shows a 36% positive correlation between diverse households watching shows with diverse casting, with Black households showing the strongest correlation at 68% for Black-led streaming content. This isn't just about social responsibility—it's about proven business results in a crowded content landscape.

The correlation is particularly strong on streaming platforms, where diverse content creates loyal, engaged audiences. 

Key Action: Prioritize advertising placements within diverse programming, especially streaming content. Use Samba TV's correlation data to identify shows that over-index with diverse audiences and allocate media budgets accordingly. The +36% correlation represents measurable audience engagement that translates to advertising effectiveness.

‍

5. Traditional Ad Distribution Systematically Underserves Valuable Demographics

‍

White households receive 63% of TV ad impressions despite comprising 58% of the population, while Hispanic and Asian audiences are underserved relative to their population shares. This distribution failure means advertisers are missing audiences with massive spending power.

The underserving varies dramatically by vertical. Education and Business/Finance ads effectively reach Black viewers, while Energy & Power and Restaurant ads connect with Hispanic audiences. However, Travel, Pet, and Home categories consistently miss diverse audiences across all ethnic groups.

Key Action: Implement precision targeting across streaming and digital platforms to reach underserved diverse audiences. Move beyond traditional demographic assumptions and use first-party viewing behavior data to identify valuable diverse households. 

‍