According to Arbitron and Edison Media Research, the percentage of Internet users who have used streaming media now exceeds 50 percent. The study, dubbed “Internet VII: The Internet & Streaming: What Consumers Want Next” will be released at the NAB Radio Show 2001 conference in New Orleans, La., on September 5, 2001.
In a preview of the results released today, Arbitron and Edison conclude that as of July 2001, persons who have watched or listened to streaming media online has risen to 52 percent of online Americans. In addition, More than a third (34 percent) of all Americans aged 12 and older have used streaming media, equaling about 78 million people.
“It’s very encouraging to see that consumers are tuning to webcasts in record numbers,” said Bill Rose, vice president and general manager, Arbitron Webcast Services. “The continued audience growth should provide confidence in webcasting’s great potential despite the inevitable bumps in the road experienced by all new media.”
The study also reveals that the amount of time consumers spend listening to sources of audio that are available only on the Internet now equals the amount of time consumers listen to radio station webcasts each month. According to the report, listening to Internet-only streams has tripled since July 1999, with one-sixth (15 percent) of all Americans having tuned into an Internet-only channel. Moreover, 12 percent of Internet users say they have listened to Internet-only audio channels and radio station webcasts on a monthly basis.
“Radio stations that stopped streaming may have spurred the growth of Internet-only channels by driving their audience to alternative sources of online audio,” said Larry Rosin, president, Edison Media Research. “More than half (55 percent) of the listeners who tuned online to a radio station that later stopped its webcast say they have found other sources of Internet audio to take its place.”
