RESTON, VA, September 27, 2006 - comScore Media Metrix, the leader in digital media measurement, today released an enhancement to its U.S. Video Metrix service, with the inclusion of Flash video content as part of the monthly rankings for streaming video sites.  Video Metrix is the first and only service to track actual online streaming video behavior among U.S. Internet users, offering publishers and advertisers valuable insights into the emerging Internet video universe.

 

"The surge in Web video content enables advertisers to expand beyond banners and reach online audiences using sight, sound and motion," said Erin Hunter, executive vice president of comScore's Media and Entertainment Group.  "Fundamental to the effectiveness of online video as an advertising medium is an accurate measurement of streaming video - and comScore is delighted to be the first company to provide that capability to the marketplace."

 

"I applaud comScore for its continued innovation in producing the metrics that are needed to help move the advertising industry forward," said David Poltrack, president of CBS VISION and chief research officer of CBS Corporation. "As the provision of online video content continues to grow, it is vital that the industry has a comparative measure of all the competing entries in this segment of the Internet advertising market."

 

Yahoo Sites Attract the Most U.S. Streamers

More than 106.5 million people, or about 3 out of every 5 U.S. Internet users, streamed or downloaded video during the month of July.  In total, nearly 7.2 billion videos were streamed or downloaded by U.S. Internet users for an average of 67 streams per streamer, which means the typical video streamer viewed an average of more than two streams per day.

 

Yahoo! Sites ranked as the top property by unique U.S. streamers with 37.9 million, followed very closely by MySpace, which attracted 37.4 million U.S. streamers.  Fast-rising YouTube ranked third with 30.5 million U.S. streamers, followed by the Time Warner Network (25.7 million U.S. streamers) and Microsoft Sites (16.2 U.S. million streamers).

 

MySpace Leads in Number of Streams among U.S. Internet Users

MySpace fared particularly well in U.S. user engagement.  The site ranks first among all sites in individual video streams initiated by U.S. users with nearly 1.5 billion streams, which represented 20 percent of all videos streamed by U.S. Internet users in July.  The typical U.S. streamer on MySpace initiated an average of 39 streams during the course of the month, or slightly more than one per day.  Yahoo! Sites ranked second in total streams initiated by U.S. users with 812 million, followed by YouTube with 649 million.

 

Top 10 Video Properties Ranked by Unique U.S. Streamers Unique Streamers (000), Streams Initiated (MM), and Streams per Streamer July 2006 Total U.S. - Home/Work/University Locations Source: comScore Video Metrix
Property	Unique U.S. Streamers (000)	Streams Initiated by U.S. Users (MM)	Streams per Streamer
Total Internet	106,534	7,182	67.4
Yahoo! Sites	37,934	812	21.4
MySpace	37,422	1,459	39.0
YouTube	30,538	649	21.2
Time Warner Network	25,675	258	10.1
Microsoft Sites	16,227	156	9.6
Viacom Digital	14,077	322	22.9
Google Sites	7,520	60	7.9
Ebaums World	7,143	67	9.4
MLB	6,442	30	4.6
ROO Group Inc.	5,841	186	31.9

Note: Streams are attributed to the property that provides the stream.  For example, the

YouTube data include streams that occurred on their Web property and on other properties

Whereby YouTube provided those streams.

 

comScore Video Metrix measures online video content served through all major players, including: Flash, RealPlayer, Windows Media, QuickTime and DivX.  The service, which is based on streaming activity among U.S. Internet users, does not include measurement of digital rights management (DRM) content (which is paid, encrypted content), online videos viewed through peer-to-peer (P2P) applications, or offline viewing of video content. 

 

Online Video Webcast

Today, at 1:00 p.m. ET, Leslie Darling, vice president of comScore's Media and Entertainment group, will review findings from the comScore Video Metrix service during a Webcast presented by Medialink.  To sign up for today's Webcast, please visit: http://www.iian.ibeam.com/events/mdlk001/20061/.

 

For more information about comScore Video Metrix, please e-mail MediaSolutions@comscore.com or call (650) 244-5408.

 

About comScore Media Metrix

comScore Media Metrix, a division of comScore Networks, provides industry-leading Internet audience measurement services that report - with unmatched accuracy - details of online media usage, visitor demographics and online buying power for the home, work and university audiences across local U.S. markets and across the globe.  comScore Media Metrix continues the tradition of quality and innovation established by its Media Metrix syndicated Internet ratings - long recognized as the currency in online media measurement among financial analysts, advertising agencies, publishers and marketers - while drawing upon comScore's advanced technologies to address important new industry requirements.  All comScore Media Metrix syndicated ratings are based on industry-sanctioned sampling methodologies.

 

About comScore Networks

comScore Networks is a global leader in measuring the digital age. This capability is based on a massive, global cross-section of more than 2 million consumers who have given comScore permission to confidentially capture their browsing and transaction behavior, including online and offline purchasing. comScore panelists also participate in survey research that captures and integrates their attitudes and intentions. Through its proprietary technology, comScore measures what matters across a broad spectrum of behavior and attitudes.  comScore consultants apply this deep knowledge of customers and competitors to help clients design powerful marketing strategies and tactics that deliver superior ROI.  comScore services are used by global leaders such as AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Verizon, Best Buy, The Newspaper Association of America, Tribune Interactive, ESPN, Fox Sports, Nestlé, MBNA, Universal McCann, the United States Postal Service, Merck and Expedia.  For more information, please visit www.comscore.com.

Contact:
Andrew Lipsman
comScore Networks
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