NBC: Viewers Catch Up Online

Filed in archive Internet TV on February 1, 2007

Many pundits on the net spout off that broadband TV will crush traditional television. I believe this is a flawed view because the real dynamic is all about the quality of the show and building an audience. If you think similarly as me, the Internet is not a replacement for traditional television. Instead, it is an alternative distribution mechanism and marketing tool that helps build and maintain an audience for a show.

Here is another proof point for that conclusion: NBC's Rewind web site.

NBC Rewind is that network's web site that streams full-length episodes of "Heroes," "30 Rock," "friday night lights," "Las Vegas," "Studio 60" and "My Name Is Earl." So naturally, NBC would study viewer usage for conclusions.

To date, 6.9 million users have streamed almost 42 million videos on the site, according to NBC.

NBC said that most web viewers watched after missing an episode on its original air date (78% said this). A large proportion also went online to watch a show a second time (26% said this). Also, some viewers watched a program that they had never seen before (34% said this). Apparently, there must be some overlap in responses.