Ever since the rise of Napster a decade ago, users of peer-to-peer (P2P) filesharing applications have been thought of as poor, freeloading misfits. But a new survey commissioned by P2P technology firm Vuze Inc. seeks to dispel that notion.

In fact, results of the survey -- which was conducted by research firm Frank N. Magid Associates Inc. -- suggest that P2P users might actually be Hollywood's most sought after demographic.

The first goal of the survey was to compare users of Vuze's P2P file-sharing application versus the general Internet at large. While the Vuze audience skewed overwhelmingly male and single, compared to the general Internet users surveyed, those users had no less buying power.

In fact, the survey found that Vuze users were more likely to be fully employed than general Internet users, with 55 percent holding down a full-time job, compared to 51 percent of general Internet users. Perhaps more importantly, 17 percent of the Vuze audience earned more than $100,000 per year, which matched that of the national sample.

Vuze users were actually more likely to pay for film content than the general Internet sample, according to the survey. On average, they watched 34 percent more movies in theaters (8.2 versus 6.1 per year), purchased 34 percent more DVDs (9.0 vs. 6.7 per year), and rented 24 percent more movies for a fee (15.7 vs. 12.7 per year) per year.

Vuze users are also big gadget geeks. According to the survey, they are more likely to own big, expensive high-definition televisions (HDTVs), as well as next-gen gaming consoles, home theater equipment, smartphones, Blu-ray DVD players, and media center PCs than general Internet users.

While they may watch less linear television than general Internet users (13 hours versus 18 hours), Vuze users are more likely to watch downloaded and streamed video content on their PCs and TVs.

Finally, the survey suggests that P2P users may not be social misfits after all. According to the results, Vuze users were connected to 55 percent more people on social networks, with an average of 300 friends, compared to 193 for general Internet users. They are also more likely to share their opinions about new technologies (or, say, that movie they downloaded last week), according to survey data.
DeathKnell Reviewed by DeathKnell on . Are P2P Users Hollywood's Best Customers? Ever since the rise of Napster a decade ago, users of peer-to-peer (P2P) filesharing applications have been thought of as poor, freeloading misfits. But a new survey commissioned by P2P technology firm Vuze Inc. seeks to dispel that notion. In fact, results of the survey -- which was conducted by research firm Frank N. Magid Associates Inc. -- suggest that P2P users might actually be Hollywood's most sought after demographic. The first goal of the survey was to compare users of Vuze's P2P Rating: 5