Vlogging (short for video blogging) is a term that did not enter the journalism world until quite recently. When people discovered the irresistible concept of using their handheld cameras and SmartPhones to capture current events, the term began to spread and make its way into new media.

One of the very first events ever captured by this type of media was the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, which occurred on December 26th, 2004. It was an underwater earthquake that caused mass destruction in multiple countries in the area with an estimated 230,000 deaths in total, not accounting for the tons of bodies that remain undiscovered. The waves hitting the coast were increasingly strong and tall, the highest wave coming to almost 100 feet. Although there was an apparent lag of about one hour between when the earthquake commenced and the tsunami began, it still came as a shock to most people in the area.

Being that the natural disaster was extremely chaotic, it was impossible for newscasters to get to the scene and broadcast their report on what was going on. Because the event could not properly be covered, it was very difficult for the public to know what was happening. Thankfully, citizens who were around the affected area had cameras and made the influential decision to record what they saw. They then uploaded these videos onto sharing sites such as YouTube, and to this day they can still be watched (video #1 and video #2 are examples of these types of videos).

The biggest appeal of this type of blogging is that it is easy – the only you need to participate is a compact camera with the ability to upload. Although the quality of the videos tend to be less than perfect, it is the idea of being able to record a live event and share it with people in a matter of minutes that makes vlogging a popular technique. Particularly with big happenings such as natural disasters, vlogging can help spread the word and raise awareness towards it.

One big benefit to blogging as opposed to typical news broadcasting is the amount of credibility one receives. In the example of the Sumatra-Andaman disaster, people who recorded the waves hitting the locations could not have manipulated or changed the videos in any way. This makes it easier for the public to get a balanced view on the event, not to mention a front row, commercial-free seat to it.

Vlogging is a type of new media that I believe will continue to thrive as long as SmartPhones and other handheld recording devices continue to exist. It was used in many events to come after 2004, such as Hurricane Katrina. Due to its believable nature and authentic feel, vlogging is a form of media that has the capacity to involve all ages and reach across to people worldwide.

Amy Midanik-Blum