Online Video Leading Digital Media Growth

Ipsos, today released the results of their annual Face of the Web study and while the full report will run you $25 grand, there’s some interesting facts in the release. According to Ipsos’ Brian Cruikshank:

In markets such as the U.S., where homes are saturated with televisions and DVD players, video content is a predominant part of consumers’ daily lives. Increasing penetration of broadband access and PC ownership globally signals that the PC will begin to really assert itself as a ‘second screen’ within the household.

Which is backed up by the chart below, showing the that more than a third of users worldwide have consumed online video content over the past year.

At the same time, an Ipsos study released in May covered the preferred viewing habits of Americans, and while content is increasingly being watched on the PC, most people still prefer viewing on their living room TV. And consumers are spending their money on things like home theater systems and large screens to improve that experience.

What this all adds up to is everything aligning for convergence. We want the range of content offered online, with the accessibility of the internet, in HD quality, on the big screen in the living room.

The big question is whether that content will be delivered over closed fiber networks like those being laid down by Verizon & AT&T, or if the public internet will become efficient enough to deliver high quality video viewable on a large screen over existing broadband lines at a cost-effective price.