To be sure, the younger generation (myself included), who were weaned on arguably too much television, have the advantage when it comes to videoblogging. More established bloggers are used to explaining a point with many points and references, which is fine to read (given the time), but would seem an interminable torture on video. Distilling viewpoints down to a succinct and enjoyable video would be a big step, and the youth’s notorious short attention span works well for short videoblogging clips.

The best of both worlds would be a videoblog (either as an outside link or embedded video) in addition to a blogger’s text entry. While none can truly compete with the other, both would complement and enrich the experience.

I finally had a chance to see Dina’s rooftop post. Unfortunately, I’ve been travelling since yesterday, and my blackberry, while great for reading a text blog, is sufficiently media impaired that I wasn’t able to watch Dina’s post until a few minutes ago.

She, and you, make some great points.

So, although I won’t commit to MAKING a video blog, I am going to spend some more time learning about them. I haven’t seen a lot that I would watch repeatedly at this point, but the format has some intriguing elements that you and others have pointed out.

Thanks - A

What’s really hit me about vlogs is something that Dina mentioned in her “rooftop” post. The really unique thing about vlogs is the subliminal side-effect of personal connection that they create. Marshall MacLuhan had it right decades ago: The Medium is the Message.

This personal closeness experience can have unintended consequences, as I learned Saturday night at the Blip.tv/AmandaAcrossAmerica launch party. Some vloggers seem to deal with it better than others. It must be a bit like actors who suddenly become popular in a TV series or movie. Suddenly people they have never met before act like they’re their friends. Amanda seems to feed on it and be energized by it (like she needs more energy), while others seem a little unsure, even creeped out. Looking back on the recorded flashmeeting of the evening, I cringed, listening to myself talking to people I knew only through their vlogs. Jeez, I can see now how they must have felt. But that’s the power of that medium. It’s a very brave thing that vloggers do, to offer up that closeness to anyone out there. Well, assuming that they realize it’s happening.