I enjoyed reading Wayne MacPhail's article on rabble.ca today about how easy video is to get online using tools from startups like ooVoo and Utterz (both are in public beta). Wayne describes how he and co-host Roz Allen prepared to produce a live rabbletv program from Toronto's Centre for Social Innovation. While walking with their equipment down the street, Wayne used his cell phone to shoot a short video clip to let viewers waiting for the show on rabble know they were on their way. Within minutes, the video was viewable worldwide.

Recently, I've been looking at a service called qik, which lets you stream live video from a cell phone. qik is in public alpha testing right now, so only certain Nokia models are supported, and you need to have an unlimited data plan from your wireless carrier due to the high bandwidth requirements. Other manufacturers' handsets will expected to be supported later this year. Imagine having a tiny broadcasting platform with you every time you carry a cell phone!

As Wayne notes in his rabble article,

It's important to pay attention to this shift and to adapt to it early. Large corporations and mainstream media outlets will be slow to catch on to the shift of video from broadcast to conversation. All too often they're interested in using online tools to get out their own messages, and control their own spin. Groups that let the audience turn the cameras on themselves and help amplify the diverse voices around them will be early winners.

I added an Utterz widget to this page this morning. It's in the rightmost sidebar, and right now it just has a short (but in-depth) investigative feature about my blue pen. I hope you enjoy it. :)