In just over a year, the idea of easily uploading your home videos or personal creative projects to an easily accessible, popular web destination has gone from "unheard of" to commonplace. The explosion of web video is just another example of the egalitarian appeal of the Internet. If you're new to the latest craze, here are some of the major players in the world of online video.



What is You Tube?

You Tube is a video social networking site that allows its members (membership is free) to upload their own videos and tag them with keywords so that they can be categorized.

You Tube is probably the best example of just how fast a "social networking" web site can grow. The company was founded in February 2005. In July or 2006 it announced that 100 million video clips per day are being uploaded from the site. It is currently the sixteenth most visited website on the Internet. Many of the uploads have been professional music videos or movie clips or clips from TV shows, and they have had their share of threats and legal action over copyright issues. You Tube is responsive to copyright violations, and has readily taken down copyrighted material when they have received objections.

What is Google Video?

Google has also opened up a video sharing service. They provide an opportunity for registrants to upload personal videos to personal blog sites or web pages. In addition, the Google video service provides a library of music videos, sports clips and movies. The films are usually for sale - Google will tease you with a couple of minutes of the footage and then offer the chance to buy it for fifteen dollars or so; or purchase a "one day pass" for $1.99.

Google posts a "most watched" list of its amateur videos, just as You Tube does. For Google, however, the personal element of video uploading seems to be just an extension of other "personalized" services they offer. The commercial side of their video section provides feeds from AOL, Yahoo and other sources. They have a collection of music videos for which they must have received copyright clearance.

What is Video Online?

Video Online is AOL's entry into the field. It is more a library, or collection of links to, video from all manner of sources. It is offering "video on demand" which consists of old movies for sale. They offer video in various "channels" and provide a search tool to look for "videos across the web." They also offer a "Video Uncut" service on their paid tier that has extremely high rankings among web users.

What is BlipTV?

BlipTV is a site for short form videos that provides for user uploading. The website essentially takes control of the material, however, formatting it for a video entertainment website. They are in search of quality short form video; their slogan: Nobody does it shorter!" Clearly, their goal is to bring talent to their site, give them some exposure and gain quality programming in the process.

Independent Video vs. Corporate Programming

You Tube is the one service that was developed with the anarchist approach that drove early Internet creativity. The intent was not to lift copyrighted, professional content but rather provide a platform for all those people out there with video cameras and ideas. Their success has been unparalleled and now, speculation turns to what exactly can be done commercially with a website that draws millions of daily visits.

Much like MySpace, the advertising community isn't sure what the value proposition is and the founders of the site aren't sure what commercial application is appropriate for the site. You Tube has struck a deal with NBC to carry selected network programming over their website for periodic downloading; and thus have become one of the initial outlets for online television programming.