90% of Network TV Shows Available for Free Online
Posted by Jesse Ward on Thursday, July 15, 2010 · 
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Approximately 90% of network TV episodes are available online, but taken down after six weeks or less, this according an exhaustive study performed by online video search site Clicker.
Clicker’s study includes shows that came online at any point during the fall or spring seasons from ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and The CW. Clicker narrowed its focus to free streaming only—the study does not include paid downloads or video on demand (VoD) streaming from Netflix, Amazon or iTunes. Clicker determined that a surprisingly high percentage of episodes on broadcast TV were made available on ad-supported video websites.
According to the Clicker, about half of all TV episodes posted online were available over the Internet within one day of the original broadcast, and nearly all were posted within two weeks of their original air date.
But consumers must act quickly. Of the 4,420 broadcast episodes that graced the Web for free during the 2009-10 season, more than 90% (3,980) were later removed. Approximately 60% of these episodes were taken down within three weeks of being published, while over 90% of them came down within six weeks.
Primetime series made up the majority of shows posted online, with 84%, compared to daytime (10%) and late night (6%).
In the battle to retain video subscribers, content is king. Clicker reminds us that over-the-top content is growing, and pay-TV cord cutting is a budding concern for video and broadband providers.
For more, see Clicker’s website.
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