Online video viewing in the US grew last year, with 31% of US adults online at home reporting that they view online video at least weekly, according to a new report from Leichtman Research Group.
This figure is up from 25% of those online who viewed video online at least once a week last year.
However, increases in online video usage over the past year were primarily among younger individuals, a group that watches online video far more frequently than others.
Among all individuals ages 18-34, 42% report that they watch video online at home at least weekly – up from 28% last year.
Among all individuals ages 35 and above, 15% watch video online at home at least weekly – compared to 13% last year.
Men aged 18-34 account for 40% of those who view video online on a daily basis, while comprising just 17% of online subscribers in the sample.
These findings, part of the Emerging Video Services II report, are based on a survey of 1,250 households in the US.
The report also found that 9% of those who watch video online strongly agree that they now watch TV less often, while 52% of online video users typically spend ten minutes or less when they view online video at home.
“Online video is emerging as a medium unto itself – not necessarily a replication of, or an alternative to, traditional TV viewing,” said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group.
“In analysing the growth of online video, it is important to understand the characteristics of those who are most likely to view video online, and the types of content that are most appealing.”
Solutions Research Group recently reported that nearly 80 million Americans (43% of the online population) have watched one of their favourite TV shows on the internet, up from 25% a year earlier (see 20% Of Americans Watch TV Online On Weekly Basis).
A recent report from Screen Digest said that revenues for free to view web services will rise by only £1 million from 2007 to 2008, but are expected to increase to £98 million by 2012 as commercial services pick up market share (see Revenue For Free To View Web TV Services To Rise To £98m by 2012).
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