Online video views delivered through professionally branded sites increased 50.3% in 2007 to 33.5 billion, according to a research study published by AccuStream iMedia Research.

Online Video 2007 – 2011: Views, Category Share and Usage Analytics is a site, brand, network and aggregator analysis of views delivered in 2007, augmented by usage numbers going back to 1998, and rigorous forward-looking, trend-based forecasts.

Entertainment captured a 26.8% share of cumulative views in 2007, and replaced music as the top category inside professional (non UGV) environments.

News and information captured 21.4% of views, Music 20.8% and Television (including long-form TV shows) came in at 13.8%.

The entertainment category experienced the highest rate of growth in 2007 compared to 2006, running up 216.3%.

Reflecting the popularity of premium broadcast network programs online, Television views rose by 148.9% and news by 32.4%. Sports views rose by 65.5%.

In entertainment and television, large media brands are in a period of ascendance, powered by broadband properties (or personalities) associated with Disney, Viacom, Time Warner, Comcast, Fox, CBS, ABC and NBC, among others.

While there were solid view gains made on brand owned properties like MTV Networks, music as a category delivered through professionally managed sites or portals declined by 10.9% compared to 2006, and movie views (trailers, shorts, behind the scenes, etc.) dropped by 16.2%.

Music and movies have not experienced an overall decline in views, rather a shift with regard to where these views take place, as UGV networks establish an increasingly conspicuous position exploiting both categories.

For example, Music was the most popular category on YouTube in 2007, with a 28% share, according to UGV 2005 – 2008: Mania Meets Mainstream, an associated research study published by AccuStream.

Music labels, musicians, directors, studios and content creators populate themed channels on hosting networks or inside formally designated partner areas.

A more competitive and expanding market across all professionally produced sites and categories in 2007 resulted in fewer views per unique user, per site, per month, registering 6.14, compared to 9.7 in 2006.