One does have to consider, however, that users are likely to view more of YouTube's typically short videos compared to Hulu's longer show- and movie-oriented videos -- something that will obviously affect those statistics. Plus, Hulu just opened its site publicly , while YouTube's been around since early '05.

The question, then, is how time will, or won't, change the equation. YouTube appears ready to fight to maintain its reign -- and the symphony and tightened standards are likely only the latest weapon we'll see in the increasingly competitive battle.