MSN Tube

MSN PLANS to launch its own version of YouTube, says Mark Sweney in Cannes. No major media player has tapped the home-spun video market segment, although I have seen rumblings from Yahoo! that tie the Yahoo! Messenger into easily-published video clips. This strategic move into YouTube space by Microsoft will illustrate the low penetration of broadband in Ireland. It also recognises that videos with low production values captivate audiences.

Since the start of 2006, YouTube postings by Irish bloggers have become part of the daily fare. Few Irish bloggers post Irish-generated YouTube content.

Consider these YouTube facts:

• YouTube is the fourth-largest social networking site, with around 40 million unique users.
• According to a recent Hitwise study, YouTube and MySpace dominate video web searches, with a combined share of 65%.
• YouTube alone accounts for almost 43% of the market share.
• Users regularly spend up to 30 minutes per visit viewing and sharing videos on YouTube, and with the average session at almost 15 minutes.

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Facts from Mark Sweney.

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