One in Five Internet Users 13 to 54 Watches Full TV Programs Online; Figure Has Doubled in Two Years

Across generations, “streamers” expect access to TV programs on “device of my choice,” says new Knowledge Networks report

One in five (21%) Internet users ages 13 to 54 now accesses streaming video to watch full episodes of TV programs — up from 10% in 2006, according to a new report from Knowledge Networks. Two-thirds (65%) of these “streamers” say they expect to be able to watch their favorite shows on “the device of my choice” — an expectation that reaches across generations, from 66% of teen “streamers” (ages 13 to 17) to 57% of those 50 to 54.

How People Use(R) TV’s Web Connections, from The Home Technology Monitor(TM), is now in its third year, detailing consumers’ changing use of and attitudes toward television network content on the Internet. The report shows that, among 13-to-54 streamers of TV network content,

– use of third-party hosting sites (such as Hulu) to access TV network video content has doubled since 2007, from 14% to 28%

– the networks’ own websites are still streamers’ most common source of network content, with the highest level being among those ages 18 to 34 (68%)

• 87% say they view full TV programs online so that they can “watch a current episode that I missed” — more than double the proportion (40%) who are watching “older” or “last season” episodes; and 18% say they are “trying out a new program”

• 30% have forwarded a link to network content to somebody they know — and almost half (44%) say they have received a link to network content from a family member or friend

Making full TV episodes available online also creates good will — for networks and sponsors alike; 86% of 13-to-54 streamers said they are more engaged with programs that they can watch on the Internet — up from 78% in 2006. And 66% said that having access to complete episodes increases their consideration of sponsoring brands, compared to 58% in 2006.

  Trends among streamers of network-originated video, by age group

                            13-54     13-17     18-34     35-49     50-54
                          '06  '08  '06  '08  '06  '08  '06  '08  '06  '08
                           %    %    %    %    %    %    %    %    %    %
  Among all Internet
   users ...
  Access full TV
  programs online          10   21   11   28   12   26    8   16    1    9
  Among streamers ...
  Uses TV network
   websites to view
   video                   61   63   56   51   61   68   65   64   53   53
  Use third-party
   video sites to view
   network video           16   28   27   26   15   30   12   26    8   32
  Access to full
   episodes increases
   consideration of
   sponsoring brands       58   66   67   69   58   66   57   69   24   36

“Among streamers, there is no shortage of demand for TV network content, and Internet availability of full episodes increases their appetite for both online and traditional viewing of programs,” said David Tice, Vice President of Client Service at Knowledge Networks and director of The Home Technology Monitor(TM). “This kind of access and control has become something streamers demand, and networks and sponsors alike reap benefits from the added engagement that full-program streaming creates.”

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