As I was taking pictures during a fire near our place (blog entry here), taking a video came into my head. However, I only had a 64MB M2 loaded in my Sony Ericsson P1i (the bundled 1GB M2 was being used by my brother for the M600i; the phone doubles as his music player), so I was not able to take a video. The phone’s internal memory is actually 160MB.

There is another reason why I did not take a video.

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Video blogging or vlogging is relatively new here in the Philippines. Vlogging is actually blogging using video as medium (as opposed to the traditional text). But why engage in vlogging at all?

Let’s face it. Pictures are better than words. Moving pictures more so. You can easily convey your message via video. Just look at how effective those crap that the giant networks spew at us.

Vlogging for me is the most effective implementation of citizen journalism. During the online blog/comments debate on blogging as privilege, one commenter in this blog used the broadcaster as an analogy to blogging: not everyone can be a broadcaster, not everyone can be a blogger, so blogging is not a right. (Yeah, it does not follow, and just because not everyone can be a blogger, blogging ceases to be a right.) While it is true that the networks control (1) what can be shown and (2) who can present, these limitations are surmounted by vlogging, disregarding the prohibitive economic factors.

Journalism has three forms: print, radio, and TV. All of the three are controlled by commercial interests; there is no completely-independent media entity. But blogging changed that equation. Can’t see your written piece published by the leading paper? Post it online. Frustrated radio broadcaster? Do a podcast. And now: rejected by a talent scout to be a news anchor? Vlog!

Citizen-journalism has its own sphere of online debate, mainly centering on whether bloggers can be journalists, and whether bloggers should be bound by journalists’ code of ethics. We will skirt those issues and instead put vlogging in the Pinoy context.

We are limited by the vagaries of technology and economics. While the necessary requirements of vlogging are relatively cheap (as compared to last year), these equipment are not available for most of us. For example, the minimum requirement might be a cameraphone with a decent memory module. Smart and Globe market LG KU250 as a cheap 3G phone for Php 6000. It has a camera and a measly 10MB internal memory, but you can use a microSD card for expansion (you can get 1GB microSD for less than Php 1000 at CDR-King). If you are earning minimum daily wage, tough luck.

Second, as pointed out by some bloggers, the Internet penetration rate in the Philippines is depressingly low. Blogging remains (as of now) a domain for middle and upperclass Pinoys. There are free blog hosting services out there, but can Pinoys afford the computer and internet time rental?

Third, and the most superficial (yet the most serious hindrance): not everyone is telegenic. This is one of the criteria that networks impose on prospective talents. After all, who would take ME seriously if I vlog? But again, vlogging removes this hindrance; a vlogger is now under the mercy of the general vlog viewers. The hindrance is gone; the new hindrance is whether the people will accept you or not. At least there is no subjective gatekeeper anymore. Your audience is now your master. You know, some might say “Ang kapal naman ng mukha nya” (That person is so thick-faced), but that’s part of a vlogger’s life. Vlogging is not for those who lacks confidence; and Filipinos do not lack confidence.

When that day comes, when an ordinary citizen can post a video of himself reporting on local events and politics, journalism will never be the same. Vlogging will be the vehicle for citizen journalism.

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Going back to the incident stated at the beginning, one more reason that I did not shoot video. When incidents like this happen, I always try to put myself in the shoes of the involved, in an attempt to gauge the raw emotions brought about by the event. The first thing that came into my mind was anger and annoyance. There is something perverse in documenting the misery of others, as if shooting pictures, taking videos, interviewing victims as the disaster happens is just so wrong. I was so ashamed of myself – I stopped taking pictures, went home, and left the mobile phone at the computer table.

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(In support for Coy Caballes’ uBlog, iVlog project on Pinoy vlogging.)