According to recent numbers released by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, nearly one in five Americans watch online videos on any given day. Their activity does not stop with viewing, however. Many of them forward their favorite videos to their friends.
On any given day, 19% of Internet-using adults in the U.S. watch some kind of online video. Most watch news videos, while comedy videos rank second.
Younger viewers were drawn to online videos mostly thanks to YouTube. Half of online video watchers between the ages of 18-29 watch YouTube clips, while 15% watch clips on MySpace, and 7% view clips on a cable or network television site.
About 10% of viewers in this age range have paid for video access at some point, slightly higher than the 7% across other age groups.
Broadband access is cited as a key catalyst to online video viewing. About a quarter of users with broadband connections at home watch an online video on a typical day, compared to just 9% of those with dial-up connections.
On a broader scale, 57% of Web users watch online video, and of that group 57% relay their favorite videos to their friends. Seventy-five percent say they receive videos from others. For viewers in the 18-29 age group, 67% say they share their favorite videos with their friends.
Still, there is a clear preference for professionally produced videos. Sixty-two percent of online video viewers indicate a preference for these professionally produced videos, while only 19% say they prefer videos produced by amateurs. However, the 18-29 age group is more accepting of amateur videos, with only 43% indicating that they prefer professionally produced videos.
Sources:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070726/ap_on_hi_te/techbit_online_video;
_ylt=Avvh4mbNNua30L.KyLxOckj6VbIF
http://www.webpronews.com/blogtalk/2007/07/26/online-videos-go-viral
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