The content can live forever on the Web now. Online TV is growing daily at an uncanny rate. “Although online TV viewing is still not an overwhelming phenomenon in the world of entertainment, the proportion of users has increased 3-fold since 2006 and is more than likely to increase over time, given consumers’ love for entertainment and easiness that Internet provides in searching and accessing it” said Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center.

Nielsen Online, arguably Internet’s most reputable source of stats and analytics about the current trends on the Web, reveals in one of its recent reports that women online TV shows on broadcast network TV sites at least twice more often than men, especially younger women that fall within the 18-to-34 age range. Men however are almost 3 times more likely to watch video from the leading consumer-generated media Web sites - MySpace, YouTube, Veoh, and Break.com. Another interesting finding of the report is the preferred time of the day for the viewing of video streaming online TV shows. Lion’s share of the online TV watching online is happening during the lunch hours of noon to 2 p.m. during the week, while most of the viral video viewing is between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. on the weekends.

Another important finding of the study is that people who are watching television online prefer it to regular TV, because they like the convenience and the ability to “fast-track” or avoid commercials. This is backed by Byron Allen of Entertainment Studios, Hollywood’s biggest TV syndication company, who claims that about 92% of his web audience (and thats about 32500 unique visitors per week) go to his website to watch ad-free shows and popular young comedians such Al Del Bene , Yvette Wilson or Robert Schimmel.

“Over the next two or 3 years, the growing popularity of viewing various TV shows online is going to have a huge impact on the way corporations and advertising professionals work and communicate with viewers,” said Shari Morwood, executive VP of technology, telecommunications and media at TNS. “If advertisers manage to adapt, and will be able to effectively leverage the online video platform, we should see much more interactivity and emotional connection between brands and the online TV viewing audience.”