Watching The Webcasters

According to the latest "Arbitron NewMediarchive/ Northstar Interactive Study of Webcast", audiences are doing far more than listening to and watching their favourite programming online they are interacting with online information and advertising in surprising numbers. Surprising high, or surprising low?

The study, timed rather well for its release at the Streaming Media East conference in New York, had plenty to get the crowds talking, stating that, "almost 70 percent of online tuners click for content information and almost 60 percent click through for advertiser information, while tuned to streaming media programming. Almost half of the webcast audience buys advertised products online -- 49 percent -- and click on ads online -- 44 percent."

"With our latest streaming media study, we have shown that people are responding to the ads and conducting e-commerce while listening to audio and video programs online," said Greg Verdino, vice president/general manager, Internet Information Services, Arbitron NewMedia. "For Webcast tuners, advertising is not a dirty word. Television and radio stations streaming live programming have created a perfect environment for high impact media advertising - and a new, growing e-commerce platform for Internet retailers."

The majority of the Webcast users are tuning in from home (63 percent) - more than all other locations combined. Other locations are work (47 percent), school/library (6 percent) and other (2 percent). Nearly three-quarters of this group listen online at least once a week and more than one-third are listening daily. Most Internet audio listeners prefer stations with a music format -- over two-thirds (77 percent) of people surveyed listened to music on the Web. A close second in format preference is news coverage, which is tuned into by 64 percent of the current audiocast audience.

According to the study, audiocast audiences (86 percent of them) are listening more now than they did six months ago. Almost 75 percent of audiocast listeners plan to increase their listening more frequently in the future.

In addition to Internet audio preferences, the study also found that audiences viewing streaming video on the Web had similar preferences in program content -- with news coverage and music programming as the leading selection of Webcast viewers. Although currently not as popular as Internet audio, almost three-quarters of the people surveyed spent up to 30 minutes a week watching streaming video. Almost half of the viewers planned to watch more streaming video in the future.

Three-quarters of Webcast users said they would increase their tuning to streaming media programs if a portable device were made available.

"The audience for Webcasting is already significant, and our research points to continued growth of the medium," said Mr. Verdino. " Portability is one of the catalysts that may spur this growth. Today, users are limited by the location of their phone line or cable modem. Tomorrow, they will be able to `watch the web' from the car, the beach or walking down the street. " If you say so my man.

http://www.arbitron.com/

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