Videoblogging – the next big thing?

From discussion boards and newsgroups to blogs to podcasting … new forms of content creation are evolving the user-contributed "DIY" model of the Internet.  I posted earlier about online photo albums as a symbol of the growth of content sharing online among the general online population.  Blogs and podcasting are part of this trend, which (in recent months) have evolved and worked their way into the commercial sector driving corporations to create blogs and popular radio personalities to syndicate their content.

But for an average user to develop video content and make the jump to videoblogging (also known as vblogs, vlogs or vogs), it seems like the barrier will be far higher.  Not for the aspiring directors and video enthusiasts, but for the same 8 million Americans that have created blogs.  Will videoblogging really be the next natural step?  Apart from special cases like the Tsunami video blog phenomenon, isn’t it just too complicated to gain the same traction as written blogs or even podcasting? 

An alternative theory is that vlogs could take a reverse growth cycle to other popular forms of content creation.  Where blogs and even podcasting have largely relied on the collective passion of individuals to establish their popularity … what if videoblogging were to experience it’s true growth from the involvement of organizations and current content provider groups?  It’s easy to imagine CNN evolving their decision to launch online video news into vlogging efforts.  Corporate blogs with vlogs integrated could represent the next evolution in connecting a human face with consumers.  Product support, crisis management, consumer marketing, Dyson vacuum-style spokesperson campaigns – each have interesting opportunities with vlogs.  Is it possible that dreaded and maligned corporations might be the ones who help videoblogging truly grow into the next big thing?