Online media stores see revenues rise
January 29, 2009
Subscription and download media store revenue rose 26.9 per cent in 2008 to $3.3 billion, forecast to advance by 19 per cent in 2009, according to a report by AccuStream iMedia Research. The report analysed content verticals including music, movies, television, sports, news and entertainment with detailed subscriber, service and transaction velocity numbers, monthly and yearly.
Online music purchases reached an estimated $2.7 billion in 2008, up 28.5 per cent over 2007, while movie and television program purchases increased 53.3 per cent to $339.8 million; both verticals benefited considerably from Apple’s iTunes storefront.
Subscription sports programming increased 16 per cent in 2008 to $147 million, as professional leagues and sports organisations embraced year-round broadband production and publishing, moving beyond seasonal offerings.
News has virtually disappeared as a subscription video offering, with all major news brands and outlets now advertiser-supported.
Movie revenue performance going forward is projected to improve through integration of IP libraries, networked hardware and televisions.
Meanwhile, PCs and portable devices are proving effective platforms to entertain consumers with short-form TV programming; TV shows are being sold and downloaded at a 16-to-1 ratio compared to movies.