Rentrak.Com, which calls itself “the only census-like currency measuring video content across all platforms,” and accordingly “know[s], more than anyone else, how viewers are being entertained by movies and TV,” yesterday announced a 4-year video-on-demand analysis that
“shows that the total time spent viewing free-on-demand television content [in 2012] increased by over 40 percent compared to the previous year. Rapidly increasing numbers also show that the total number of free-on-demand TV programs watched went up 29 percent from the prior year.”
According to Rentrak President Cathy Hetzel, “There is no doubt that this kind of growth is reshaping budgets of cable operators, content providers and advertisers. Our reporting gives perspective on how many ad dollars could be left behind if on-demand content is not considered by the planners of TV.”
In other words, what we have here is yet another sign that the Old Media Viewing Paradigm is moribund. Or, in the words of just about every great historical drama we’ve ever seen:
“The king is dead. Long live the king!”
Nope, we never heard of Rentrak before either. For more info, why not do what we did and visit Rentrak’s website?