2024 State of Gaming Report
Viewership at Top 3 Cable News Networks Surges Fourteen-Fold Between 12-1 PM EST on Inauguration Day
RESTON, VA, January 27, 2009 – Comscore (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released a study of U.S. video streaming activity on Inauguration Day (Tuesday January 20, 2009), based on the Comscore Video Metrix video measurement service. The data for Inauguration Day were compared to the Tuesday from the week prior (January 13, 2009) to serve as a baseline comparison for a typical Tuesday.
The study showed that total online video viewing experienced a significant uptick between the hour of 12:00 – 1:00 PM EST, during which Barack Obama took the oath of office and delivered his inaugural address. Compared to the baseline period, the number of unique video viewers increased 45 percent to 13 million, while the number of videos viewed grew 33 percent to 49.5 million and total minutes spent viewing video climbed 129 percent to 190 million.
Rise in Online Video Viewing on Inauguration Day between 12-1 PM ESTJanuary 20, 2009 vs. January 13, 2009Total U.S. – Home/Work/University LocationsSource: Comscore Video Metrix
12:00 – 1:00 PM EST
Jan. 13, 2009
Jan. 20, 2009
Percent Change
Unique Viewers (000)
8,945
13,004
45%
Videos Viewed (000)
37,107
49,523
33%
Total Minutes (000)
82,954
189,739
129%
The top three cable TV news sites, MSNBC.com, CNN.com, and FoxNews.com, attracted a disproportionate increase in the number of viewers compared to the Internet at large. The 4.1 million viewers who watched video on those sites during the 12-1 PM EST hour represented a fourteen-fold increase from the previous Tuesday.
Increase in Number of Online Videos Viewers on Inauguration Day between 12-1 PM ESTJanuary 20, 2009 vs. January 13, 2009Total U.S. – Home/Work/University LocationsSource: Comscore Video Metrix
Unique Viewers (000) – 12:00 - 1:00 PM EST
Total U.S. Internet
Top 3 Cable News Sites*
277
4,138
1390
*MSBNC.com, CNN.com and FoxNews.com
“Online video coverage of President Obama’s inauguration appears to represent a significant incremental audience to TV, since it presumably includes many people at work who did not have access to a TV,” said Tania Yuki, senior product manager for Comscore Video Metrix. “As such, the thirteen million online viewers during this time period likely represent an addition to the reported 40 million people who viewed the inauguration on TV. And, that so much of this online audience flocked to the Web sites of the major cable TV news outlets reflects a direct channel shift from TV to the Internet.”
“Although numerous online video sites carried live streaming coverage of the inauguration, 30 percent of those who watched online gravitated toward the cable TV news sites,” added Yuki. “Much like TV, people have a tendency to tune into specific channels when they are consuming a certain type of content. However, unlike TV, the online video channel offers greater flexibility in how, where and when it can provide these experiences and what digital strategies can be employed to attract the right audiences. The CNN-Facebook partnership is a good example of such a strategy.”
About ComscoreComscore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world and preferred source of digital marketing intelligence. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com/companyinfo.
PressBill DaddiDaddi Brand Communications646-370-1341press@comscore.com