TV networks emerge as obstacles on YouTube’s hunt for ads

Three years ago, the beginning of the end of the US television business looked certain when one of the largest ad buying agencies vowed to move a big chunk of its purchases to YouTube from TV budgets.

The TV business did not die; far from it. Instead, data compiled by ad-tracking firm MediaRadar at Reuters’ request shows some advertisers are spending more on television networks’ online properties and less on Alphabet Inc’s video service. The data may partially explain why Google’s parent had its slowest quarterly revenue growth in three years.