TV is still the viewing method of choice, but the amount of time spent watching video on PCs appears to be growing.
Among online video viewers in the US, 70% of their total video content (online and off) was viewed on a TV in February 2008, down slightly from the three-quarters who did so in February 2007, according to Ipsos MediaCT's "MOTION" report.
"Streaming video online has become an activity many Americans aren't just experimenting with, but enjoy on a regular basis," said Adam Wright, director at Ipsos, in a statement.
All the same, Mr. Wright said the home was still the preferred location for viewing, which is why watching video on portable devices remained a niche activity.
The Ipsos findings agree with a study conducted last fall by Deloitte and The Harrison Group. Although younger users in that study were more likely than older users to watch video on PCs and portable devices, the majority (64%) of millennials' viewing occurred on TVs, with PCs coming in second.
It is easy to look at "screen share" as a TV versus PC
competition, but the trend has been toward more multitasking and
more media consumption overall.
David Hallerman, senior analyst at eMarketer, spelled out how consumers view the relationship between TVs and PCs. "People want professionally created, long-form video, such as full TV
shows, in high definition to match their flat-screen TVs, and they want
to readily connect their computers with their televisions," he said. "And someday
most people will get what they want—look ahead three to five years."
The eMarketer Online Video Marketing report will be published in July 2008. Click here to be notified when it is released.