We watch, share, stream, download… The way we consume video has evolved at an insane pace and the era of watching programs exclusively on cable is a thing of the past. Most popular shows can be found online, via sites such as Hulu and Netflix, and with the emergence of tablets and smart phones, consumption has entered an increasingly mobile frontier. Cutting the cord is more possible than ever, thanks to new wireless capabilities and improved Internet access. According to the State of the Media: US Digital Consumer Report, released in the Q3-Q4 of 2012, “274 million Americans have Internet access, more than double the numbers with Internet access in 2000.”

Still with all these new access points, TV continues to be watched on televisions. Streaming, downloading, and recording supplements viewing, via a variety of platforms, instead of replacing cable. Most people still consume the majority of content traditionally, but cross platform video engagement is taking root.

Neilsen’s State of the Media: US Digital Consumer Report reveals that 10.7 % of videos watched online are accessed through Netflix, 6.9% through Hulu, and a whopping 44.7% through YouTube. An online study conducted by KnowledgePanel found that 35% of all U.S. consumers (ages 13 to 54) say they use Netflix — for streaming and/or DVD or Blu-ray rentals — at least once a month. The study also found that the average Netflix subscriber consumes 5 TV shows and 4 movies per week, via the streaming or DVD-rental aspects of the services.

Advertising companies also track shifting consumption habits. Business models are altered accordingly. Among the main competitors in the global Mobile Advertising market, InMobi, Google’s AdMob, and Apple’s iAd, all closely watch, and factor, new consumption trends.

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Viewers should definitly consider how these trends will affect their access in the future. Perhaps more important, content creators should consider how shifting trends influence how video is produced and marketed.