Online video is growing ever more popular, particularly in the United States. But it’s YouTube which continues to drive market penetration, with Hulu leading the rest of the growing pack.

Online Video Viewer Stats

Online video is showing no signs of slowing down in growth. As the latest comScore statistics for December 2009 show.

178 million Internet users in the U.S. watched online video during the last month of the decade. Which equates to almost 87 percent market penetration.

Between them they watched over 33 billion videos in December, or the equivalent of 187 videos each. The average length of video now stands at 4.1 minutes, up from 3.5 minutes around the same time last year.

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YouTube’s movie rentals trial brought in just over $10,000. But rather than the failure some are describing it as, this is surely a big enough success to warrant a larger roll-out of the service in the future. But as usual, content is key.

YouTube Trials Rentals

YouTube has now officially entered the market for movie rentals, having offered movies from the Sundance Film Festival for $3.99 apiece for the ten days that the festival lasted.

YouTube has had a relationship with independent filmmakers for a while now, as it offers another opportunity for them to get their work out there and in the eye-line of a bigger audience. And audiences don’t come much bigger than YouTube’s.

The trial run has now ended and the results are in.

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YouTube has grown and evolved a massive amount since it launched. It’s even changed owner. And yet 2010 could be the biggest year for change so far. YouTube is already rolling out a new minimalist redesign, and its first ever profits could follow in its wake.

A New Year, A New YouTube

2009 was a big year for YouTube. The site began streaming more premium video content after doing deals with various content partners. It also began looking at pay options, the first of which has now come to fruition.

It also played a big part in the development and launch of Vevo, the music video site run by the record labels themselves. There was also the introduction of full HD, and experiments with a new advertising model.

But 2010 could potentially be even bigger.

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Cricket is one of those sports you either love or hate. There’s very little middle ground. Those who love it are in for a treat over the next few months as the Indian Premier League tournament takes place. And all, for free, on YouTube.

YouTube Progresses

YouTube is becoming much more than it once seemed it would ever be. Already by far the most popular online video destination on the Web, serving one billion videos a day, it’s now turning its attentions to professional content as well as the bread and butter of UGC.

YouTube has already done deals with a number of media companies which have added movies and TV content to the site. Channel 4’s 4oD being a prime example. Sporting events are also now being added to the roster.

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Silvio Berlusconi’s government has been a controversial one. To say the least. But its latest innovation is one which will directly affect online video Web sites and ISPs. Some regulation is obviously necessary, but what is being proposed goes too far.

Online Video Matures

Online video has matured over the last few years, by quite a lot. It was only a short few years ago when YouTube was a pretty lawless place, with copyrighted content being uploaded left, right, and center, and very few checks and balances to stop it appearing.

But those checks and balances are now in place, and the Google-owned YouTube now plays pretty much by the rules. As does every other legitimate online video offering.

But the Italian government doesn’t think it’s enough.

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It looked as though the Perry et al v. Schwarzenegger et al case attempting to have Prop 8 overturned was going to be broadcast on YouTube. But a last-minute emergency appeal to stop the broadcast was granted, and this online video first will now not happen.

Proposition 8

Proposition 8 is the highly controversial California law amendment which effectively overturned the State’s decision to allow same-sex couple to marry and have their unions recognized in law.

It was one of the propositions to be added to the November 2008 elections. And its passing meant the line, “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California” was added to the California Constitution.

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Casual and online gaming are two sectors that have grown exponentially over the past couple of years. As a consequence, video games have gone from being niche to mainstream very quickly. And Google may be about to use YouTube to latch onto the trend.

From Geeks To The Mainstream

When I was growing up, video games and gaming were the domain of the geeky. And I was one of the nerds involved. But it’s an activity that has changed massively in recent times.

The release of the PS2 and then the Wii brought gaming into the mainstream in a big way, with new people of all ages casually dipping their toes into the water.

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