Viewership at Top 3 Cable News Networks Surges Fourteen-Fold Between 12-1 PM EST on Inauguration Day
RESTON, Va., Jan. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- comScore (Nasdaq: SCOR), a
leader in measuring the digital world, today released a study of U.S. video
streaming activity on Inauguration Day (Tuesday January 20, 2009), based on
the comScore Video Metrix video measurement service. The data for Inauguration
Day were compared to the Tuesday from the week prior (January 13, 2009) to
serve as a baseline comparison for a typical Tuesday.
The study showed that total online video viewing experienced a significant
uptick between the hour of 12:00 - 1:00 PM EST, during which Barack Obama took
the oath of office and delivered his inaugural address. Compared to the
baseline period, the number of unique video viewers increased 45 percent to 13
million, while the number of videos viewed grew 33 percent to 49.5 million and
total minutes spent viewing video climbed 129 percent to 190 million.
Rise in Online Video Viewing on Inauguration Day between 12-1 PM EST
January 20, 2009 vs. January 13, 2009
Total U.S. - Home/Work/University Locations
Source: comScore Video Metrix
12:00 - 1:00 PM EST
Jan. 13, 2009 Jan. 20, 2009 Percent Change
Unique Viewers (000) 8,945 13,004 45%
Videos Viewed (000) 37,107 49,523 33%
Total Minutes (000) 82,954 189,739 129%
The top three cable TV news sites, MSNBC.com, CNN.com, and FoxNews.com,
attracted a disproportionate increase in the number of viewers compared to the
Internet at large. The 4.1 million viewers who watched video on those sites
during the 12-1 PM EST hour represented a fourteen-fold increase from the
previous Tuesday.
Increase in Number of Online Videos Viewers on Inauguration Day
between 12-1 PM EST
January 20, 2009 vs. January 13, 2009
Total U.S. - Home/Work/University Locations
Source: comScore Video Metrix
Unique Viewers (000) - 12:00 - 1:00 PM EST
Jan. 13, 2009 Jan. 20, 2009 Percent Change
Total U.S. Internet 8,945 13,004 45%
Top 3 Cable News Sites* 277 4,138 1390%
*MSBNC.com, CNN.com and FoxNews.com
"Online video coverage of President Obama's inauguration appears to
represent a significant incremental audience to TV, since it presumably
includes many people at work who did not have access to a TV," said Tania
Yuki, senior product manager for comScore Video Metrix. "As such, the thirteen
million online viewers during this time period likely represent a 32 percent
addition to the reported 40 million people who viewed the inauguration on TV.
And, that so much of this online audience flocked to the Web sites of the
major cable TV news outlets reflects a direct channel shift from TV to the
Internet."
"Although numerous online video sites carried live streaming coverage of
the inauguration, 30 percent of those who watched online gravitated toward the
cable TV news sites," added Yuki. "Much like TV, people have a tendency to
tune into specific channels when they are consuming a certain type of content.
However, unlike TV, the online video channel offers greater flexibility in
how, where and when it can provide these experiences and what digital
strategies can be employed to attract the right audiences. The CNN-Facebook
partnership is a good example of such a strategy."
About comScore
comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital
world and preferred source of digital marketing intelligence. For more
information, please visit http://www.comscore.com/companyinfo.
