CBS' TV.com Sees Surge in Video Audience

CBS' significantly redesigned TV.com has seen its video audience skyrocket, as the former reference site has become a consistent destination for full-episode viewing of TV shows.According to the latest numbers from comScore VideoMetrix, TV.com’s unique viewer base soared by 401 percent to 3.5 million users from February to March (the site reached over 12 million total unique users in March). Meanwhile, the site’s total number of video streams surged by 153 percent to 7.1 million month over month, while time spent on the site more than doubled from February to March (117 percent to 30 million minutes). The year-over-year increases for the site are even more eye-popping: per comScore, unique viewers soared by 1,766 percent versus March of 2008, while total videos streamed jumped by 2,640 percent.All of this online streaming activity has actually helped lift CBS Interactive’s total video audience—placing it fifth on comScore’s ranking of video networks with over 35 million total unique viewers.Anthony Soohoo, senior vp and general manager of TV.com, said that the site’s momentum really took off in the past few months, when following a December redesign, video was brought to the forefront. “TV.com has always had a large audience,” he said, “…but until February and March, viewing was never really part of the site experience.”In its previous incarnation, finding video clips or episodes required users to make up to eight clicks of their mouse, Soohoo said. “What we did was make it easier to access. Our goal is to get to a point where users can always get to a video in two clicks or less.”Also boosting video viewing has been a new feature that enables social viewing, where users can create groups and watch shows at the same time, while making comments on the site. “That creates a real network effect,” said Soohoo.Meanwhile, the site’s content offerings continue to expand. CBS has also announced that the site now offers full-length episodes of the 1980s cop show classic Cagney & Lacey. As of Apr. 27, episodes from seasons two and three of the MGM-produced drama are available on the site, with later seasons soon to come, according to officials.

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CBS' TV.com Sees Surge in Video Audience

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