YouTube still most popular for online viewing

Frank N. Magid Associates, one of broadcast television’s most respected consulting firms, conducted a 2,400 person survey in June of 2014 and found that the majority of online TV viewers watched YouTube. The numbers broke down like this: thirty-eight percent checked YouTube, followed by 33 percent for Netflix. Hulu came in at distant third with 17 percent, and Amazon Prime was checked off by 14 percent.

Magid also found that 32 percent of Americans watch online TV daily. That’s up 10 percent from two years ago.

Mike Vorhaus, president of Magid Advisors, said: “The joke in the industry is it’s all babies burping and cats meowing, and maybe YouTube was that. When they actually go and use it, people are surprised by the breadth of content that’s there.”

YouTube is free, though with advertising, while Netflix and Amazon Prime are not free. Hulu has a free tier, but lacks YouTube’s massive popularity.

When you look at the numbers for online movie watching, Netflix got 35 percent of the vote from people Magid polled, while YouTube only got 24 percent. But that was still ahead of Amazon Prime, Hulu and HBO GO.