• by Wayne Friedman , September 29, 2016

Premium digital video continues its double-digit percentage growth both in terms of total video views and in advertising views.

In the second quarter, Comcast’s FreeWheel ad-tech unit, offering software for cable, satellite, and over-the-top video platforms, says video views were up 24%, with advertising views growing 28%.

In particular, so-called premium video -- largely traditional TV programming -- grew 37% in ad views.

In terms of share, desktop ad views commanded about half the market -- but are down from 62% a year ago. Set-top-box VOD now has 17% of ad views.

Over-the-top smartphone platforms are registering the fastest growth in ad views -- up 60% for the past two quarters. 

In terms of overall digital ad revenue, entertainment programming ad views has the greatest share 53%; sports, 24%; news, 10%; music also 10%; and kids, 3%.

Sports programming ad views were up 44% in the period, with entertainment programming ad views growing 26%. 

Video-on-demand is one major area that TV networks and pay TV operators are counting on for big results in the coming years. FreeWheel says VOD tends to have a lighter ad load than live streaming and linear TV. There are about 26% more ads on live programming than VOD.