Consumer adoption of New Channels driving Online Music & Video growth.

New distribution channels for online music and video are beginning to have a significant impact on the music and video industries, reports In-Stat. Online sales of digital music represented 6% of the total worldwide music market in 2006, up from 4% in 2005, the high-tech market research firm says. By 2011, online sales of digital music will represent 26% of all music purchased worldwide.

“The Internet is now an essential channel for online music distribution; and social networking sites, such as YouTube and MySpace, are beginning to show great potential as new and legitimate channels for digital content consumption,” says Stephanie Ethier, In-Stat analyst. “As a result, consumers are demanding access to digital content in more ways than ever.”

Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

– In-Stat’s latest primary research shows that 74% of respondents (primarily North Americans) downloaded music in 2006, up significantly from 48% in 2005.

– Digital piracy continues to represent the primary challenge to content owners and online service providers, particularly outside the US.

– In-Stat believes that the growth in mobile music will have important implications for the online music market.

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