Web 2.0 Enables Streaming Media

Released on: Thursday, August 9, 2007 8:00 AM

        

Web 2.0 Enables Streaming Media

Streaming media allows users to watch or listen to information on the Internet as it travels along the communications network. "Streaming" has quickly become part of the vernacular. It means that users can access video and audio content easily. In effect, "streaming" is more the medium than the content. You may have actually participated in streaming yourself and not known that you have done so. When you visit a news site, for example, and you click and watch a video file, you are streaming. When you stream music, you are basically participating in a music download, which just about everyone has done. After the snarl of "free" versus "fee" music downloads smoothed out, iPod is now a device of everyday life for many people. Therefore, music streaming is also part of everyday life for many people. Video, too, will eventually make this journey.

For women, this medium may not yet have hit its stride, especially for mothers. Businesses with Internet-based content and advertising have yet to truly focus on the interests of women. A recent study by eMarketer has said that 97 million women will use the Internet this year, as compared to 91 million men, a significantly larger number of women. In spite of this figure, only about 66% of women will actually watch online videos, as compared to 78% of men. Therefore, it remains to be seen whether the significantly larger audience of women will have its needs met in video as is being done with men. However, it should be a priority that this significantly larger audience of online users has its own needs met with quality video content, as well as incentives to further sample more video.

For teens, instant gratification via entertainment is much more a priority than it is for their mothers. Not surprisingly, teens also have much more time than their mothers do to access this new media. Ipsos Insight has found that of all demographic groups, teens and young adults are the most likely to stream video online. Three of four US teens ages 12 to 17 and young adults ages 18 to 24 have participated in streaming video content online. A recent study has also found that the typical video streamer is both younger and more likely to have a higher income than someone who does not. The financial connection shows the need for broadband in order to stream content easily. A broadband connection is generally more expensive than a dial-up one, for example, thus requiring extra income to pay for it.

There is a lot of free content available online to stream. Most of this is comprised of video clips that are short in duration. Three out of four digital video users have streamed amateur or homemade video clips. Adults are also more likely to view (or "stream") news clips that they are interested in. Other popular streamer sites include MySpace, YouTube and Google.

    

---

    Print this page   E-mail this page