NEW DELHI: Video ad views grew 30 per cent as against 2013, according to FreeWheel’s Q4 2014 Video Monetisation Report that revealed yet another quarter of strong growth and evolution in the digital TV market.

Contrary to the negative predictions the industry has heard about the television marketplace, the report reveals that the TV ecosystem continues to expand.

Viewers have not abandoned their favourite content but rather found new ways to access it. Not only did Q4 2014 cap off a full year of 30 per cent and 27 per cent growth in ad and video views respectively, publishers also succeeded in drawing audiences to their most premium content.

Several new trends emerged this past year as viewers and publishers continued to modify how they watch and monetise their shows, sports, clips and more.

Live viewing grew 297 per cent year-over-year, driven by strong growth in Sports streaming and News simulcasts.

First-run broadcast shows attracted far more viewers this quarter than the year prior, as seen by a 67 per cent increase in digital video ad views.

OTT streaming devices, overwhelmingly used for long-form and live viewing, overtook tablets, accounting for eight per cent of all video ad views.

Viewers are accessing current season content throughout the television season. Sixty-four per cent of viewing occurred over a week after that content’s original air date.

Authenticated viewing grew 591 per cent year-over-year, as 56 per cent of all video ad views on long-form and live content now come from behind authentication walls.