A Quarter of Americans watch online video

Further evidence that US internet users are moving fast into video arrives today from Mediamark Research & Intelligence (MRI). Downloading TV programs, watching online videos and making online phone calls posted the biggest year-to-year percent increase among adults.

According to responses from MRI’s just released Fall 2008 Survey of the American Consumer, 3.2% of adults said they had downloaded a TV program in the last 30 days. That represents a year-to-year increase of 141.4%. The number of adults who reported they watched online video increased 35.4% during the same period, to a total of 23.3% of the adult population.

Whilst the numbers for this survey for video look smaller than others such as Comscore the year on year increase is important demonstrating a trend marching upwards, and matches some of the more numerical findings from the likes of alexa.com

This is a robust face to face survey. MRI interviews approximately 26,000 U.S. adults in their homes each year, asking about their use of media, their consumption of products and their lifestyles and attitudes.