From blogging, to podcasting to online TV Station creation

From the strangely named Participatory Culture Foundation comes the latest in communication with a twist. While vlogging is the video version of blogging, the PCF have come up with the open-source DTV Beta. It's a downloadable all-in-one programme for Mac that allows you to gather programmes, see online TV guides and watch programmes, while also being able to make TV programmes within the same console. You can therefore use elements of what you have seen on others' home-made TV in your own reportage.

This is more than vlogging. It integrates others' work to your own, allowing the person creating the programmes to use and comment on video material provided by others.

And in the classroom...
Putting video of youngsters onto the net is problematic, but for older students wanting to try their hand at the sharp end of media studies this tool could be very useful to get a taste from behind the camera. I'll have to look and see how much is available in foreign languages, but even if there is none it is just a matter of time till something goes up.

Have a play of it and tell me what you think. I'll let you know my own findings at a later date...

Comments

[Mark]

Looks interesting - I've been following the DTV developments too. Great idea. Would be a good way of delivering content within the educational context. We played around a bit (a lot actually!) with ChannelStorm's Live Channel a couple of years ago, but everything was so difficult because of local authority firewalls we eventually gave up. Moved onto broadcasting live radio via Nicecast which worked beautifully. Maybe this is the obvious next step...

You know me, Ewan, I'm sure we can get a TV station going within the next couple of months... just a wee pilot project to begin with...

My worry actually stems more from the content available on there already. Obviously they're still in beta, but there isn't any control on the content and everything seems tame just now, but as with all delivery methods like this I'm sure it will quickly fill up with all sorts of things we don't necessarily want kids to see. That of course isn't a reason not to use it, but def worth taking on board until they give more details on their intended audience for the app.