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U.S. Consumer Eyes Drifting Away from TV


According to an Ipsos market study, the percentage of video consumed on a TV -- among online video downloaders and streamers -- declined from 75 percent in February 2007 to 70 percent in February 2008. A significant drop in overall share of "screen time" with the growing contingent of digital video consumers.

In addition, the percentage of total screen time captured by movie theaters also declined significantly in the past year, mirroring an overall trend Ipsos has witnessed in traditional video consumption.

Ipsos believes that streaming video online has become an activity many Americans aren't just experimenting with, but enjoy on a regular basis. Today, about half of all Internet users aged 12 and up have streamed a video file online in the past 30 days.

Furthermore, it's caused many to adopt the PC as a primary channel they rely on for video entertainment.

Overall screen time for the PC has nearly doubled its overall share with digital video consumers since early in 2007. Among the 52 percent of Americans age 12+ whom have ever streamed or downloaded a digital video file online, about one out of every five hours spent watching movies, TV shows and/or other types of videos is done so on a PC.

However, watching video content on other portable devices is a niche activity for most adult digital video users, having invested in outfitting their living rooms with HDTVs and subscribing to cable or satellite television.

Currently, teens aged 12 to 17 are the only age group that is watching a greater percentage of their video content on portable devices.

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