Oscar's Charm May Be Fading as Internet Sites Draw Lackluster Traffic

Oscar's Charm May Be Fading as Internet Sites Draw Lackluster Traffic

RESTON, Va., March 10 /PRNewswire/ -- comScore Networks today released the results of an analysis of worldwide and U.S. online activity surrounding the 2006 Academy Awards, which were held on Sunday, March 5. comScore's Internet traffic analysis of Oscar and Hollywood-related sites reflects the show's lackluster TV viewer turnout. While it was expected that official sites run by the Academy and ABC, such as Oscar.com and Oscars.org, would experience a surge in visitors in the days prior to the show, the Academy Awards Show had little, if any, affect on other related sites.

Even though the Internet Movie Database, (IMDB.com), attracted 2.5 million visitors worldwide on Oscar Sunday, the Academy Awards show did not produce a significant jump for this site and traffic rose only 3 percent versus the previous Sunday (February 26). Worldwide traffic to eonline.com was virtually flat on Oscar night compared to the previous Sunday, and decreased by 13 percent compared to the day before the show.

Although sites bearing the name of the coveted golden award did experience triple digit increases in worldwide traffic on the night of the awards, their low overall traffic levels spoke to consumers' lack of interest in the awards. Traffic to Oscar.com increased 642 percent versus the previous Sunday and 108 percent versus the day before the awards (Saturday, March 4), yet the site still drew less than 250,000 visitors worldwide on Oscar Sunday. While Oscars.org also experienced significant traffic increases versus both the Sunday -- and Saturday -- before the show, posting 240-percent and 156-percent gains respectively, the site attracted only a little more than 100,000 visitors worldwide.

Worldwide Unique Visitors to Leading Oscar-Related Web Sites
Home, Work and University Locations
Source: comScore Media Metrix

% Change
vs. Prior
Unique Visitors (000) Oscar Sunday vs. Saturday Sunday
Worldwide 3/5/06 3/4/06 2/26/06
imdb.com 2,547 3% 3%
oscar.com 239 108% 642%
eonline.com 172 -13% 0.3%
oscars.org 101 156% 240%
ew.com 53 11% 62%

IMDB.com also drew more U.S. visitors on Oscar Sunday than any other site measured, but it attracted less than one million U.S. visitors, with traffic virtually unaffected by the awards show. As with worldwide Internet users, sites bearing the Oscar name experienced the strongest traffic gains of all sites analyzed. Even so, these sites each drew less than 100,000 U.S. visitors on Oscar Sunday. U.S. traffic to oscar.com rose 481 percent versus the previous Sunday and 81 percent versus the Saturday before the show. Oscars.org rose 35 percent on Oscar Sunday compared to a day earlier, but traffic to this site was too small on the previous Sunday to draw a comparison.

U.S. Unique Visitors to Leading Oscar-Related Web Sites
Home, Work and University Locations
Source: comScore Media Metrix

% Change
vs. Prior
Unique Visitors (000) Oscar Sunday vs. Saturday Sunday
U.S. 3/5/06 3/4/06 2/26/06
imdb.com 870 5% -3%
oscar.com 82 81% 481%
eonline.com 91 -6% 17%
oscars.org 34 35% N/A
ew.com 28 7% 56%

About comScore Networks

comScore Networks provides unparalleled insight into consumer behavior and attitudes. This capability is based on a massive, global cross-section of more than 2 million consumers who have given comScore explicit permission to confidentially capture their browsing and transaction behavior, including online and offline purchasing. comScore panelists also participate in survey research that captures and integrates their attitudes and intentions. Through its proprietary technology, comScore measures what matters across a broad spectrum of behavior and attitudes. comScore consultants apply this deep knowledge of customers and competitors to help clients design powerful marketing strategies and tactics that deliver superior ROI. comScore services are used by global leaders such as AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Verizon, Best Buy, The Newspaper Association of America, Tribune Interactive, ESPN, Fox Sports, Nestle, MBNA, Universal McCann, the United States Postal Service, Merck and Orbitz. For more information, please visit http://www.comscore.com/ .

Source: comScore Networks

CONTACT: Andrew Lipsman of comScore Networks, Inc., +1-312-775-6510, or
press@comscore.com

Web site: http://www.comscore.com/

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