Fixing Internet Video

There are few people in Canada who I believe know more about online video than Montreal's Casey McKinnon and her partner in crime (and other things) Rudy Jahchan. Together they have made some of Canada's oldest and best known vLogs (video podcasts) including Kitkast, Galacticast and A Comic Book Orange .

Now Casey has begun contributing regularly to the Guardian (U.K.) on the present and future of internet video. Definitely worth your time!

Now: Give us credit

"While many people making web video don't expect to get paid for having their content broadcast on TV, they do expect recognition. Unfortunately, in contracts I've seen recently from major American broadcasters, these new programmes aren't even willing to credit the producers by name or by web address.
What's more, these contracts often contain exclusivity rights – so not only do they expect you to sign over your content royalty-free, but for a long period of time. And, thanks to the quiet insertion of a waiver of moral rights, the creators don't have any control over spin-offs based on their work."

Later: How do you beat YouTube?

"The sites should also be more customisable - in layout, look and player function as well as in license options. They should give creators the option to choose different licenses, whether it's a traditional "all rights reserved" copyright, or a Creative Commons option. And, if the company behind the site wants to use the videos anywhere else, the creator should be given the option to opt out or refuse. Blip.tv, which acts as a free host and allows users to choose their own licenses and deals, practices this sort of community-based approach.
Instead of giving exclusive ad-revenue sharing opportunities to the most popular show creators, the ideal site should open it up to all original content creators - just as Revver has. It would also be beneficial to the sites to make the ads interactive (although too obtrusive and they annoy the audience). A recent web-based ad campaign by Juicy Fruit is a good example of this, where the banner ads were actually flash games built into the sites rather than a simple gigantic link.