IAB Tech Lab Updates OpenRTB for Live Content Definition

IAB Tech Lab Rolls Out OpenRTB Updates for Programmatic Advertising

IAB Tech Lab is introducing updates to OpenRTB to address the growing need to define live content in programmatic channels, according to MarTech. The standards body announced new attributes for describing live content and enhancements to substitution macros for pricing and discounts, with these changes open for public comment through late May.

New Attributes for Defining Live Content

The updates add two optional fields and clarify an existing one in OpenRTB and AdCOM, allowing sellers to describe the 'liveness' of content in a more structured way within bid requests. This enables buyers to differentiate between content that occurs at the exact moment of the bid, content that streams in real time but is not strictly live, and content in its first scheduled broadcast window. These distinctions help buyers prioritize spending based on how inventory is valued, as the lack of standardized signals has previously made interpretation difficult in programmatic environments.

Refinements to Pricing Signals

Alongside content updates, IAB Tech Lab is refining substitution macros in OpenRTB to improve how price-related data, such as discounts and net pricing, flows between buyers and sellers. This provides buyers with a clearer view of actual payments and pricing adjustments, reducing transaction friction. Combined with the new content signals, these changes aim to help sellers represent premium inventory more accurately, according to MarTech.

Context and Industry Drivers

These updates occur as programmatic environments grow more complex with the expansion of CTV and live-event inventory, building on initiatives like the Live Event Ad Playbook that have emphasized the need for stronger standards. The work originates from IAB Tech Lab’s Programmatic Supply Chain working group, and the public comment period runs through May 28, with feedback sought to finalize the specifications.