Viewing News: Republicans Outnumber Democrats Online

When YouTube pulled video clips of "The Daily Show," a chorus of disgruntled Internet users could be heard around the globe. But the number of angry liberals may not be as big as you think; a recent poll conducted by Nielsen/NetRatings announced last week that Republicans outnumber Democrats online.

According to the report, 36.6 percent of U.S. adults on the web are Republicans, compared with 30.8 percent Democrats and 17.3 percent Independents. "The fact that the online population is more heavily composed of Republicans than Democrats is principally a function of the Republican party's higher composition within the overall electorate," said Nielsen/NetRatings analyst Ken Cassar. "This is exacerbated by the fact that online penetration continues to be deeper among affluent households, which have historically skewed Republican," he continued.

Will online viewers suddenly begin to see video channel offshoots for RushLimbaugh.com, NewsMax.com and The Drudge Report, some of the most popular websites for the Internet's Republican readership? Probably not. According to Nielsen/NetRatings, the largest segment of Internet-users identified themselves simply as "Moderate" (36.1%), an ever-changing term to be sure, a demographic that can enjoy the vast pleasures of YouTube no matter what their political affiliation.