NBC's online viewers don't abandon its shows once they start. According to recent research, NBC says 94% of its visitors "always or usually" watch an entire episode on NBC's streaming video player, NBC Rewind.

Short Internet viewing activity has been a concern of national TV advertisers. They have wondered about online viewers' habits after a TV episode has begun to stream. In traditional TV viewing, for example, there is a certain amount of channel-changing during the airing of a TV program. Internet research has shown that the vast bulk of video consumption on the Internet comes in an average of two to three minutes.

NBC also notes that its users are fully attentive, noting that visitors in the most recent fourth quarter "were less likely to multitask while viewing versus Q3 2008."

Interestingly, NBC says much viewing for its shows on the Internet was with another person. Over half of its recent fourth-quarter visitors to NBC Rewind co-viewed an episode at some point. Of that group, NBC says 30% "always or usually" watched with someone else.

Recent users were also more likely to watch shows on a desktop and watch in their office, den or living room. A year ago, NBC says visitors were more likely to be screening shows on laptops and in bedrooms.

Other general observations showed that consumers were most likely to visit Rewind to watch episodes they missed on TV.