New IMMI Report Explores Online Viewing Trends

SAN MATEO, July 30: New
research indicates that more than 20 percent of U.S. Internet users are
watching prime-time episodic content online, with half of that viewing serving
as a replacement for watching the shows on TV.

The study from Integrated
Media Measurement Inc. (IMMI) indicates that within the group of online
prime-time content viewers, 50 percent are watching programming as it becomes
available, using the computer as a substitute for the television set. The other
50 percent are using the web to watch past programming they have missed (31.3
percent) or to re-watch segments of episodes they have already seen (18.7
percent).

In addition, in some
cases, online viewing of a particular program outpaces its DVR viewing.

“This is the first study
to show there are a significant amount of people watching prime-time shows
online who are not watching some portion of those shows on television,” said
Amanda Welsh, the head of research for IMMI. “Everyone’s been talking about the
Internet becoming a substitute for television; however this is the first
single-source passive data to show that the migration from one platform to
another is actually occurring—and it’s happening fast.”

The report also showed the
largest segment of online television viewers are white, affluent,
well-educated, working women aged 25-44.

—By Mansha Daswani