Wainhouse Research Predicts Business Use of Live Online Video to Double by 2016

SAN FRANCISCO, March 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- While the widespread use of social media and video on smartphones and tablets has dominated perceptions of how Americans are using IT services, a rapidly growing number of executives and their companies are reaching out to employees and other key audiences via live online video at their desktop computers and laptops. Moreover, the number of hours that business users engage in live online video is expected to double by 2016, and total viewership will reach nearly 3 billion hours (2.92 billion) annually in 2017, according to a report being released this week by Wainhouse Research. The report also says the use of online video on portable devices will help fuel that growth as enabling technologies become more available.

The Wainhouse Research white paper, "Gauging Viewership Trends in Live Online Video Business Communications," is based on a survey of 1,007 executives in Q4 2013, and was commissioned by Ustream Inc., the world's most scalable and social live video platform. Ustream founder and CEO, Brad Hunstable and Wainhouse Research senior analyst, Steve Vonder Haar, will be hosting an interactive webinar on April 1, 2014 to further discuss the findings and distribute the full research report.

Webinar: April 1, 10 a.m. PDT: http://www.ustream.tv/lp/wainhouse2

"Enterprise Live Video Use To Double by 2016"

Live online video is quickly gaining traction in the workplace – in fact, more than 1 billion hours were streamed in 2013, according to Wainhouse Research. Innovative and forward-thinking businesses have been leading the movement, unlocking the heightened engagement that only live video can provide. Enterprise use of live video is expected to double by 2016, and Ustream's solutions can help you get ahead of the curve.

The study found that more than 59 percent of executives surveyed said they had experienced live online video on their desktops, which is more than twice the reported rate of social media use for business communications. In 2013, business users globally viewed 1.12 billion hours of live video in online webcast events with 25 or more attendees. Nearly three-quarters of viewing time occurred in North America.

"Our research indicates there will be a significant growth in the use of tablets and smartphones for viewing live online video as the technologies that enable mobile online video distribution become more commonplace," said the report author and Wainhouse Senior Analyst Steve Vonder Haar. "In fact, portable devices will account for more than half of live online business video viewership by 2017, compared to just 23 percent in 2013."

Other key takeaways from the report include:

Live online video use by business is extensive: Nearly six in 10 Wainhouse Research survey respondents report that they have viewed live online video for business use, and 20 percent of survey respondents say they use this technology every day.

Viewership growing steadily: More than 40 percent say they watch more live online video for business than three years ago. Ten percent report a doubling of their viewership since in 2010.

Exposure accelerates adoption: Individuals already familiar with the technology are fueling the most rapid expansion of viewership. With 38 percent of all respondents reporting at least weekly use of live online video for business, a large segment of the corporate audience is poised for more extensive use of the technology.

Not All Executives Tune In Equally: Viewership is higher among those with high household incomes and/or early adopter tendencies and who work in industries where the real-time exchange of information generates significant business value.

Don't Discount the Desktop: Desktops typically have the form factor, computing horsepower and network access to handle extended viewing sessions for live online video content. While mobile capabilities will continue to drive marketplace growth, desktop devices will continue to play a workhorse role in the distribution and consumption of live online video content by businesses.

"Live online video is positioned for continued dramatic growth in the next three years," said Brad Hunstable, founder and CEO of Ustream. "Innovative, fast-moving and forward-thinking businesses are leading the growing use of this technology, and benefiting by the heightened audience engagement that only live video can provide. Our webinar and report are a great way for companies to learn more about how live video can provide them with additional advantages in a very competitive marketplace."

The Wainhouse Research report released this week and the April 1 webinar are the second in a series of white papers and webinars tracking the corporate use, deployment and executive perceptions of online video, Business Video Now. The first in the series, "Executive Visions on Video in the Workplace," noted that live online video is coming of age as a way to disseminate information directly to large audiences, and C-level executives are using it at more than triple the rate of associate-level employees.

About Ustream
Ustream is the world's most scalable and social live video platform. Originally created to connect remote military servicemen to significant personal and cultural events, the company has evolved into a socially-fueled vehicle enabling anyone to reach global audiences and share experiences in real-time. Whether it's a press conference, product launch, educational class, or an act of citizen journalism – Ustream's Cloud Platform offers users high-quality streaming capabilities, deep social networking integration, and the scalability to reach millions of viewers concurrently. Our mission is to empower businesses and societies to be more transparent, more productive, and build deeper relationships through the power of video.

Founded in 2007 by John Ham, Brad Hunstable, Gyula Feher, Ustream is located in San Francisco and Budapest. Company customers and partners include Cisco, Sony, Discovery Communications, Georgetown University, and Samsung. Ustream is a privately owned company. For more information on Ustream, visit Ustream.tv, Twitter.com/Ustream, or Facebook.com/Ustream.

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