Video streaming shot up 65 percent in the first six months of the year, aided
by increased cable and digital-subscriber-line modem penetration, according to a
research report from AccuStream iMedia Research.
Total video streams reached 1.82 billion in the first half of the year, with
broadband streams accounting for 65 percent of the total. Narrowband streams
grew only 10 percent year over year.
AccuStream research director Paul Palumbo credited America Online Inc.'s 'AOL
Plus' and RealNetworks Inc.'s 'SuperPass' with spurring the broadband
increase.
High-speed users accessed 8.9 video streams per month in early 2002 versus
6.9 in first-half 2001.
Palumbo said video streaming would have been higher but Cable News Network,
CNET, Fox Broadcasting and ABC News implemented subscription models, which
slowed growth.
On the flip side, he added, 'the guarantee of both licensing and a cut of
subscription revenue encouraged those major brands to make more and better --
often exclusive -- content available, which has attracted more subscribers to
pay various services, and streams served there are growing substantially.'
AccuStream also said streaming increased on Launch.com (http://launch.yahoo.com/), The Feedroom (http://www.feedroom.com/) and IFILM (http://www.ifilm.com/), while film trailers
accounted for 51 percent of all film-related streaming.
