Burst Media has released the results of a new study covering online video content and advertising. The survey was conducted in early October, 2011 of 1,025 online U.S. adults aged 18 or older and revealed that 71.6% of web users overall watch online content in a typical week--and 39.0% of all viewers spend between one and five hours per week with online video. Men aged 18-34 are the heaviest consumers of online video content, with 19.7% saying they consume 10 or more hours of video on the web per week.

Professionally-produced online video programming is gaining traction with viewers. Two-fifths (39.1%) say they typically watch full-length television shows, movies and/or sporting events on the Internet. One-quarter (25.5%) of online viewers watch news, sports and entertainment highlights of regular television programming online. One-half (49.7%) of viewers say they also watch user-generated content.

Comedy is the most popular form of online video content among all viewers (38.8%), followed by news (33.3%) and music (31.2%). However, there are some dramatic differences between what men and women typically watch online: for example, women are more likely than men to watch educational videos (31.2% vs. 24.5%) and drama (24.7% vs. 13.9%); men are more likely than women to watch sports (31.2% vs. 8.2%) and animation/cartoons (22.0% vs. 11.3%).

Compared to standard display media on the web, viewers are more likely to interact and engage with online video. A relatively high number of all online viewers (18.2%) say they have taken an action based on what they saw within an online video advertisement--an action such as visiting the advertiser's website or making a purchase. One-quarter (24.1%) of men aged 35-54 say they have taken an action, as have 22.1% of women aged 35-54. At 26.3%, men aged 55 or older are the most likely group to take an action after viewing an online video ad.

Interestingly, 4-in-5 (80.8%) online video viewers say they also use the Internet while they are watching television. One-half (49.0%) say they either always or often surf the web while watching, and only 14.3% say they never go online while watching television.