Who's Watching Online Video?

On July 25, 2007 Pew/Internet released a new Technology and Media Use report with some fascinating information. Here's highlights quoted from the report:

- 57% of online adults have used the Internet to watch or download video, and 19% do so on a typical day.
- Three-quarters of broadband users (74%) who have high-speed connections at both home and work watch or download video online.
- More than half of online video viewers (57%) share links to the video they find with others, and three in four (75%) say they receive links to watch video that others have sent to them.
- Video viewers who actively exploit the participatory features of online video, such as rating content, posting feedback or uploading video, make up the motivated minority of the online video audience.
- Three in four young adult Internet users (18-29) watch or download video online. - News video is the most popular category for everyone except young adults.
- Professional videos are preferred to amateur productions online, but amateur content appeals to coveted segments of the young male audience.
- 8% of Internet users say they have uploaded a video file online for others to watch. - Most video viewers watch at home, but one in four report at-work viewing.
- Half of young adult video viewers say they watch video on YouTube.

How they watch:

- Most have watched online video with other people.

- More than half share links to the video they find with others.
- Three in four video viewers receive links to online video.
- One in ten have posted video links to websites or blogs.
- One in five have rated video or posted comments after watching online.

What users prefer:

- Young men are among those least likely to express a preference for professionally-produced video.
- 37% of adult Internet users report online news video viewing and 10% say they watch news video on a typical day.
- News video is the most popular category for everyone except young adults.
- Comedy and humorous videos attract the largest number of young adult viewers - 56% of young adults prefer these.
- With bite-sized clips, music videos also draw young audiences online.
- Animation and cartoons garner the young male audience.
- Full-length movies and TV shows are still making their way online.
- Political content resonates most with active viewers who rate or comment on video.
- One in eight Internet users watch or download commercials online.
- Young male users are the most likely to say they have watched or downloaded adult video online.
- Few pay to access online video.

I wonder how many faculty are using on-line video in their courses. I also wonder how many employers are using on-line video to enhance and grow their business.

We hear a lot of discussion in the academic community about blocking online video sites like YouTube - some IT Directors say it sucks up too much campus bandwidth. As we reach out to young adults, especially in the academic community, blocking sites like YouTube does not appear to be a very good idea.

You can download and read the excellent 28 page Pew/Internet report linked here.

And.......... it's not just the "young adults" watching this stuff - as a former VW owner here's one of my YouTube favorites!


Enjoy:)

*****
Listen to Mike Q and my latest podcast "Skype, More Skype, Goodbye Copper and Casual Gaming" linked here.