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YouTube eats into TV viewing
More and more consumers are shunning the television in favour of watching online videos on websites such as YouTube, new research shows.A study by market research firm Harris Interactive found that more than four in ten (42 per cent) of online adults in the US have watched a video at YouTube, with 14 per cent saying they visit the site frequently.
Almost a third (32 per cent) of these frequent YouTubers say they are watching less TV as a result - a clear indication that advertising is shifting gradually from traditional media to the online arena.
Harris Interactive senior research manager Aongus Burke said: "[Online] has really emerged as a major force in, and problem for, the traditional entertainment industry.
"Not only is YouTube using a lot of their own content to steal the eyeballs they want the most, the site has provided a launching pad to wholly new forms of user-generated video entertainment that are gaining popularity quickly."
YouTube does face challenges when it comes to internet advertising, however, since many users would be less willing to visit the site if short commercials were shown before every clip.
Despite this, the online ad market is growing because TV networks are also showing their own TV episodes including commercials - which does not seem to bother viewers.
YouTube founder Chad Hurley has revealed that Google is planning to share the revenue gained from ads generated by the website with its users.
News and Public Relations news posted on 30 January 2007
