According to figures released by Microsoft, NBCOlympics.com received 42 million unique visitors, delivered 56 million high-definition video streams using Microsoft's Silverlight technology and received 6 million visits from users of mobile phones and other devices. The company reports that the average viewing time at the site was 27 minutes.
In addition the site, which required viewers to download Silverlight, helped Microsoft add about 20 million new Silverlight users. The company is trying hard to make inroads against the dominant Flash player from Adobe Systems Inc., which the vendor says is installed on 99 per cent of PCs in developed countries.
However, according to reports from research firm eMarketer Inc., NBCOlympics.com generated only $5.75 million in online video ad revenue, significantly less than the $23 million rival network CBS is reported to have made in online ad revenue from streaming every one of the NCAA's March Madness basketball tournament games live earlier this year.
