IP Democracy: Report: 16% of US HH Watch TV Shows Online

Just about two years ago, few TV programs were available in full online, at least on a free, ad-supported basis. Now that TV shows are available in abundance on the Internet, around 16% of U.S. homes watch TV "broadcasts" online, according to a study by the Conference Board.

Based on the Consumer Internet Barometer, a quarterly panel study involving 10,000 potential respondents, four out of every five online viewers say that watching the TV shows online hasn't diminished the amount of time they watch regular television. More than three out of five online TV viewers cite personal convenience as the major reason for watching TV broadcasts online.

More than a third chose online viewing in order to avoid watching television commercials (and these folks were surely disappointed given that most free online TV shows come embedded with advertising.)

Although 16% seems like a small number, and I'm not sure of the definitions used by the Conference Board when it comes to "TV broadcasts," there is no question that this figure could double (triple) again next year as better awareness of online choices increase and as even more TV content migrates to the web. So, when nearly a third of all homes watch TV on the web, we're definitely in the mass video medium territory.

Posted by Cynthia Brumfield on October 15, 2007 10:24 AM to IP Democracy