New Study: The State of Online Video

The Pew Internet and Americal Life Project has a new report out titled The State of Online Video. The report is based on data from telephone interviews conducted between June 18-21, 2009 among a dual-frame (cell and landline) sample of 1,005 adults, 18 and older. Reported results are interesting but not surprising. Here's some of the findings:

• 69% of internet users watch or download video online; 14% have posted videos.
• Comedy or humorous videos, rising in viewership from 31% of adult internet users in 2007 to 50% of adult internet users in the current survey
• Educational videos, rising in viewership from 22% to 38% of adult internet users
• Movies or TV show videos, rising in viewership from 16% to 32% of adult internet users
• Political videos, rising in viewership from 15% to 30% of adult internet users

The study goes on to say video creation has also become a notable feature of online life. Here's a few more findings:

• One in seven adult internet users (14%) have uploaded a video to the internet, almost double the 8% who were uploading video in 2007.
• Home video is far and away the most popular content posted online, shared by 62% of video uploaders.
• Uploaders are just as likely to share video on social networking sites like Facebook (52% do this) as they are on more specialized video-sharing sites like YouTube (49% do this).

The study goes on, saying while video-sharing is growing in popularity, adult internet users have mixed feelings about how broadly they want to share their own creations.

• 31% of uploaders say they “always” place restrictions on who can access their videos.
• 50% say they “never” restrict access.
• The remaining 19% fall somewhere in the middle.

And, 35% (not surprisingly) feel they should be more careful about what they post.

You can view the full report linked here and download a PDF copy linked here. You can also view the survey questions online linked here.