We’re pretty excited here at msnbc.com with the launch of a new video technology last week that allows users to navigate an extended piece of video by keyword. We used it for the first presidential debate, which you can see in action right here. We’ll use the interactive player for the upcoming debates as well, and there are also plans to make the entire player embeddable. Press release below… (Full disclosure: I work at msnbc.com)
PRESS RELEASE — September 30, 2008 — Msnbc.com, named the number one Current Events and Global News site for three consecutive months, launched its exclusive “debate video player†on the day of the first debate between the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. The introduction of this latest video player underscores msnbc.com’s commitment to provide consumers with the best political news, insight, and analysis as well as exclusive features during this historic election period.
The innovative and interactive video player, available at www.politics.msnbc.com, allows consumers to watch the full debate, and, at any time skip ahead to a specific topic by selecting one of 20 key words available. When consumers click on a key word, the timeline reveals the various points during the debate when those phrases were spoken by the candidates. Users can then explore the issues in context of the larger debate and also read analysis provided by NBC News. Msnbc.com is the only news provider offering this advanced video experience.
This exclusive video feature will be available to consumers for the upcoming vice presidential debate. In the near future, consumers will have the ability to embed the “debate video player†on their websites and blogs. Msnbc.com was the first major network news site to offer embeddable video to consumers to post on their blogs and websites.
The site continues to build on its strong leadership position as the place for politics. During both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, msnbc.com was the clear online news leader. According to Nielsen Online, during the total convention period (Aug. 25 — Sept. 7), msnbc.com drew a larger and more engaged audience than CNN.com by topping them in unique visitors, online video streams, audience and category share, and time spent per page.
Msnbc.com beat CNN.com in unique visitors for both conventions
Msnbc.com led CNN.com in unique visitors, with more than 23 million users each week during the convention period, making its audience 25% larger than that of CNN.com. (CNN.com had 18.2 million for the DNC, and only 17.4 million for the RNC.*)
Msnbc.com dominates CNN.com in online video
CNN.com reported a combined total of nearly 32 million video streams during the days of the DNC (Aug. 25 — 28) and RNC (Sept. 1 — 4).** During that same time period, msnbc.com had more than 41 million online video streams, 28% more video streams than CNN.com.***
Msnbc.com wins in audience share and category share for the convention period
Msnbc.com had 26% more market share than CNN.com during the convention period.
Audiences were more engaged with content on msnbc.com versus CNN.com
During the convention period, consumers visiting msnbc.com spent 15% more time on msnbc.com content (measured in minutes per page viewed) than consumers who visited CNN.com.****
In a recent ad, CNN claimed to be the #1 news site based on total minutes spent online, but the reality is that not only does msnbc.com draw a larger audience month after month, msnbc.com’s users spend more minutes per page illustrating deeper engagement with every page they view and every video they watch on the site versus CNN’s users, according to Nielsen Online.
Consumers can visit the “Decision ‘08 Dashboard,†available at www.politics.msnbc.com, for the most comprehensive political news.