IAB Tech Lab Updates OpenRTB for Clearer Live Content Definitions

IAB Tech Lab Rolls Out OpenRTB Updates for Programmatic Advertising

IAB Tech Lab is updating OpenRTB to address the growing need to define live content in programmatic channels, announcing new attributes for describing live content and refinements to substitution macros. These changes, now open for public comment through late May, aim to reduce ambiguity in the bidstream as connected TV (CTV) and real-time inventory expand, according to MarTech. The updates add two optional fields and clarify an existing one in OpenRTB and AdCOM, allowing sellers to specify the 'liveness' of content, such as distinguishing between a true live event, a real-time stream, and content in its first broadcast window.

New Fields for Defining Live Content

The new attributes enable buyers to differentiate content occurring at the exact moment of the bid from real-time streams that are not strictly live or content in its first scheduled broadcast window. These distinctions help buyers prioritize spending, as a live sports moment carries different value compared to a same-day stream or a scheduled premiere. The lack of standardized signals has previously made programmatic interpretation challenging, and these fields are designed to eliminate that ambiguity, as detailed in the source material from MarTech.

Refinements to Pricing and Substitution Macros

Alongside content updates, IAB Tech Lab is refining substitution macros in OpenRTB to improve how price-related data, including discounts and net pricing, flows between buyers and sellers. This makes it easier for demand-side platforms to receive clear information on actual payments and pricing adjustments, reducing transaction friction. Combined with the new content signals, these changes allow buyers to gain better context and pricing clarity while enabling sellers to more accurately represent premium inventory, according to MarTech.

Context and Next Steps

These updates come from IAB Tech Lab’s Programmatic Supply Chain working group and respond to the increasing complexity of programmatic environments, particularly with the growth of CTV and live-event inventory. The Live Event Ad Playbook has previously highlighted the need for stronger standards, emphasizing that timing is a key pricing variable for truly live inventory. The public comment period runs through May 28, with interested parties able to provide feedback via a specified link, as noted in the original source.