• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, June 13, 2006

comScore Networks, in an analysis of consumer video consumption of both content and ads across the Web along with the demographic characteristics of video viewers, finds that the number of consumers viewing video online grew 18 percent from October 2005 to March 2006. In total, consumers viewed 3.7 billion video streams in March and slightly less than 100 minutes of video content per viewer per month, compared to an average of 85 minutes in October.

Peter Daboll, president and CEO of comScore Media Metrix, said "Video consumption on the Web is rapidly approaching the tipping point for advertisers, with two-thirds of consumers accessing the Internet from home using a broadband connection, and publishers continuing to innovate by using the latest technologies to deliver content in a way that engages users..."

The report finds that:

• The composition of video consumers is split among males (52 percent) and females (48 percent)
• The male audience is much more engaged with video, with the average male viewer seeing nearly two hours per month, while females consume approximately one hour and twenty minutes of video per month
• Overall, males in the 25-34 age group have the highest intensity of video consumption, with an average of 140 minutes of video consumed per month

Additional key findings from the report include:

• Approximately 16 percent of all time spent viewing online video takes place during prime time hours, while 22 percent occurs on the weekend
• During March, approximately 42 percent of all U.S. Internet users streamed video through an entertainment site, and more than 33 percent did so from a portal
• On average, consumers spent close to one hour per month viewing Internet video from work locations during March

For more on the study and comScore, please visit here.