The lines are blurring between different types of media: internet television, television internet, who knows?

There is a growing trend of blogs incorporating video to the extent where the images are in fact what tells the story, relying little on the written words.

True, some video bloggers, (or vlogger’s) films would not inspire praise or return visits from viewers, but there are some vlogs that cater to a niche market, providing information and entertainment we cannot get anywhere else.

Producing and editing video was traditionally time consuming and expensive, and without the right tools the result was less than professional. However with digital video and advances in software, the moving image has become a more accessible story telling tool.

It’s not just photo gallery tools that are available for free on the internet (see my September 2 post), but user friendly video editing software. Windows Movie Maker is an example of a free download which is capable of producing quality final edits of videos which can be published online.

A poignant example of the value of vlogs is Alive in Baghdad, it has stories from Iraq that would never have been broadcast in another format.

vlogger image courtesy of concurringopinions.com

Television is pervasive and influential, but the vlog could provide a quick little antidote to the mass media agenda. It has all the addictive features of TV, but with more varied and independent producers.