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Live Online Video Viewing Grew 297% in 2014, Finds FreeWheel

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Video monetization company FreeWheel has released its Video Monetization Report for the fourth quarter of 2014, and found that last year was a strong one for online video. Most impressively, live viewing grew 297 year-over-year. While once viewers turned to online video after an event for highlight clips, they now look for live streams of sports and news coverage.

FreeWheel also found that first-run broadcast programs are succeeding online, increasing video ad views by 67 percent year-over-year.

People are watching more long-form premium content through living room streaming devices: OTT devices are now a more popular option for long-form and live video than tablets, and comprised 8 percent of all video ad views. Viewers are increasingly turning to online video to catch up with favorite shows, but they don't feel the need to do so immediately: FreeWheel found that 64 percent of TV show streaming took place over a week after the program originally aired.

There's plenty of good news for pay TV services in this report, as FreeWheel found that authenticated viewing grew by 591 percent year-over-year, and that over half (56 percent) of all video ad views on long-form and live programming took place on authenticated content. Since the report only looks at content with ads, it doesn't compare the popularity of authenticated programs with those on ad-free subscription services, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime.

The FreeWheel Q4 2014 Video Monetization Report is available for free download (registration required).

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