• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, September 18, 2006

Sponsored Video OK For Three-Fourths of UsersSponsored Download OK For Three-Fourths of Users

According to a telephone poll by the AP and AOL, 71% of U.S. Internet users who watch online video prefer to watch and download videos for free, sponsored by pre-roll advertising, while only 23% said they would prefer to pay for ad-free content.

The poll also reports that

• Users prefer shorter videos
• 20% of those surveyed had downloaded or watched a full-length movie or TV show
• 54% of U.S. Internet users consume video online
• 32% of respondents say they watch more video online than they did a year ago
• 80% say their TV viewing habits remain unchanged

AOL EVP, Kevin Conroy, said "... video usage is growing faster than most predicted... As more and more Web users adopt broadband, demand for online video of all types, including news, music videos and concerts, TV and movies, sports highlights, and user generated video mash-ups will continue to grow at a very fast pace."

The poll, conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs among 1,347 online video watchers in the U.S., found that the top video categories were News, at 72%, and TV or movie clips, at 59%.

Read the detailed Topline responses to the survey in this PDF download