FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 16, 2008

Click to play: Online videos attract viewers of all ages

In this multimedia age, newspapers don't stand still -- literally. Find a news, entertainment or sports video of interest on this paper's web site.

List and discuss benefits of print content – articles, pictures, graphics without animation -- that videos supplement, but can't duplicate.

Talk about whether TV or online videos can spark interest in reading news coverage to learn more. Any fresh example?

Professional and amateur videos, as well as live webcam chats, are an increasingly popular online destination for students. Not surprisingly, youngsters and teens watch more streaming content online than older Americans, new research confirms. But a growing number of adults also enjoy news, entertainment, sports and communication that doesn’t sit still.

Internet users between 12 and 17 each saw an average of 74 video streams and 132 minutes of online video during a recent month, according to an industry rating service. They mainly watch music videos, movie trailers and clips of other visitors.
Kids aged 2-11 viewed an average of 51 streams and 118 minutes during the April research period, while those over 18 viewed an average of 44 streams and 99 minutes. Another 2008 survey shows that 48 percent – nearly half -- of online adults said they've visited video Web sites, up dramatically from 33 percent a year earlier.

Stickam, a live webcam chat community, is now the top video destination among teens, according to the new data from Nielsen Online's VideoCensus measurement service. Two music video sites, Buzznet.com and Atlantic Records, follow closely among the same age group. MySpace TV, another popular place to hang out, gets an update this week as part of a site residesign being launched Wednesday. The social network’s player has been overhauled to include a new menu system, easier video-sharing capability.and full use of Flash 9 with true full-screen mode.
Overall, YouTube is by far the most visited video site -- with more than 67 million unique users each month who see over 2.6 billion streams.

Expert says: "Today's youth don't know -- or don't remember -- a time when they weren't going online, so their adoption of online video has been seamless." -- Michael Pond, senior media analyst at Nielsen Online rating service

Video-sharing: "The dramatic growth in the population using video-sharing sites is tied at least in part to the popularity of such sites among men, younger adults (under 30) and college graduates." – Pew Internet and American Life Project study

New service: VideoFetcher.com, a free site launched this month, lets users enter keywords and search over 100 Web video sites at one time to find a clip by subject matter.

Front Page Talking Points Archive

►Federal safety board urges tougher drinking-and-driving cutoff limit to match other nations

►Northeast braces for noisy invasion: Flying cicada bugs return after hiding for 17 years

►U.S. military prison at Guantanamo, Cuba, remains a tricky problem for President Obama

►Doctors warn about serious health risks from 'The Cinnamon Challenge' video craze

►Earth Day on April 22 focuses attention on how we can protect the natural environment

►Thousands of past players take on the National Football League over brain injuries

►North Korean missile threats create concern and U.S. show of military force

►South Africa reflects on the huge legacy of Nelson Mandela, hospitalized at 94

►They come from space: NASA seeks money to spot and deflect risks from large asteroids

►This 'March Madness' basketball tournament season is special – the 75th in history

►Complete archive