TV Viewing Moves Online

More Consumers Watch TV Online; Hulu Gains in Popularity

NEW YORK, Sept. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly one out of four U.S. households
watches TV online, up from 20 percent last year, reports The Conference Board
and TNS. And Hulu.com is fast becoming the hot site - just behind YouTube.com
- for watching TV programs. In fact, the number of households visiting
Hulu.com has increased almost fourfold in the last year.

The Consumer Internet Barometer, a quarterly report produced by The Conference
Board, the global business membership and research association, and TNS, a
global market insight and information group, surveys 10,000 households across
the country and tracks who's doing what on the Internet.

Nearly 80 percent of consumers log on daily for entertainment. In fact,
entertainment is cited as one of the most important Internet activities,
behind only personal communication and work-related activities.

The End of 'Appointment TV'?

Consumers are moving away from "appointment" TV, preferring to watch programs
whenever they choose. Being able to view favorite shows at any time, along
with personal convenience, are the two major reasons cited by more than half
of consumers for turning to online TV. Consumers also cite portability as
another benefit.

"Online viewing allows users to watch TV on their own schedule, catch up on
missed content and focus on their favorite programs," says Lynn Franco,
Director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center. "As a result, about
20 percent of consumers say their traditional TV viewing has declined."

News shows are the most popular online programs - watched by about 43 percent
of online TV viewers. About 35 percent enjoy sitcoms, comedies and dramas,
while 19 percent of online TV viewers indulge in reality shows and 18 percent
follow sports. Other forms of online content include previews, user-generated
content, additional content from favorite shows, soap operas and
advertisements.

Hulu.com Users Nearly Quadruple

Two-thirds of all online TV viewers access their favorite programs through
streaming video, while 41 percent utilize free download. Nine out of ten
online viewers enjoy online TV from their own home. One out of ten logs on at
the office.

More than two-thirds of online TV viewers access television content through
the official TV channel's homepage. YouTube.com still retains second place,
accessed by 42 percent of online TV viewers. There has been a great explosion
in the popularity of Hulu.com, a website that features streaming video from
many major television networks. Usage has grown from 8 percent of households
in 2008 to 32 percent today.

"The rise of Hulu is not just a coincidence," says Bernard Brenner, Senior
Vice President, Innovation & Product Development at TNS. "Hulu and other
online TV viewing options have created a user experience equivalent to how
people self categorize content - sorting by brand, genre and popularity. This
user experience, along with a deep library of branded content, has created a
service that continues to resonate with users."

About This Survey:
The Consumer Internet Barometer is based on a quarterly survey of 10,000
households. A unique sample is surveyed each quarter. Return rates average 70
percent, which ensures highly representative data. Data is weighted as well to
reflect the latest U.S. household demographic information. The latest survey
was conducted during the third quarter of 2009.

About The Conference Board
The Conference Board is a global, independent business-membership and research
association working in the public interest. Our mission is unique: To provide
the world's leading organizations with the practical knowledge they need to
improve their performance AND better serve society. The Conference Board is a
non-advocacy, not-for-profit entity holding 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in the
United States. www.conference-board.org

About TNS
TNS, which recently merged with Research International, is the world's largest
custom research agency delivering actionable insights and research-based
business advice to its clients so they can make more effective business
decisions. TNS offers comprehensive industry knowledge within the Consumer,
Technology, Finance, Automotive and Political & Social sectors, supported by a
unique product offering that stretches across the entire range of marketing
and business issues, specializing in product development & innovation, brand &
communication, stakeholder management, retail & shopper, and qualitative
research. Delivering best-in-class service across more than 70 countries, TNS
is part of Kantar, the world's largest research, insight and consultancy
network. Please visit http://www.tns-us.com for more information.

The Kantar Group
The Kantar Group is one of the world's largest research, insight and
consultancy networks. By uniting the diverse talents of more than 20
specialist companies - including the recently-acquired TNS - the group aims to
become the preeminent provider of compelling and actionable insights for the
global business community. Its 26,500 employees work across 80 countries and
across the whole spectrum of research and consultancy disciplines, enabling
the group to offer clients business insights at each and every point of the
consumer cycle. The group's services are employed by over half of the Fortune
Top 500 companies. The Kantar Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of WPP Group
plc. For further information, please visit www.kantargrouptns.com.

SOURCE The Conference Board

Lynn Franco, +1-212-339-0344, Lynn.franco@conference-board.org, or Frank
Fortorici, f.tortorici@conference-board.org, both of The Conference Board; or
Melanie Mumper-Dickerson of TNS, +1-419-725-8560,
melanie.mumper@tns-global.com