An estimated 81 million people, or 63% of the 129 million people who access the internet via broadband in the US, watch broadband video at home or at work, according to new research conducted by Nielsen for the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM).
That number, which is as of March, increased from 70 million in September 2006 – a jump of 16%.
The analysis also showed that traditional home television ratings are minimally affected by broadband video viewing over the internet, because broadband viewing was found largely to be new viewing rather than a substitute for traditional television viewing, according to the report.
Key findings from the report include the following:
- Online video usage supplements traditional television viewing overall: Online video (including broadband video at work and in the home) was shown to add to overall video viewing more frequently than it replaced traditional television viewing in the home:
- 33% of those surveyed indicated that watching video over broadband increased their television viewing time.
- 13% indicated it decreased their traditional television viewing.
- Potential upside for increased television program viewing online is high among current broadband video users:
- An additional thirty-two million lighter broadband video users report being open to more TV programs via the internet.
- Consumers indicate that greater awareness of where to find the videos they’re seeking, better navigation interfaces, and the increased availability of more high-profile television programs online could significantly drive future broadband video content use over the long-term.
- TV set access is the tipping point for widespread broadband video use: Widespread consumer use of broadband video seems contingent on internet video content becoming more easily accessible via home TV sets, at which point internet video could assume its place as another source for content on demand.
- Broadband video use is dominated by top brands:
- ABC.com was the leader across all broadband viewer visits to television network websites.
- Yahoo Movies was the leader in the movies category.
About the study: “A Barometer of Broadband Content and Its Users” looks at the relationship of broadband video consumption at home and at work to traditional television viewing behavior and presents an analysis of specific television network viewing preferences among broadband video users across all key demographics.
