BBC NEWS | Programmes | Click | The viral video online revolution

"Within 15 months, Youtube.com has become one of the internet's most watched websites, with 25 million hits a day.
More than 40 million original clips and TV segments have been uploaded by visitors."

The website provides free editing and uploading tools. Even the player is built on open source code. Traditional video players have largely been replaced by Flash, because of its flexibility and huge install base.

Social networking websites like MySpace.com have fuelled the viral intensity of web videos.

Marketers and advertisers are not far behind, using these sites to their advantage, but DIY video is a double-edged sword.

One car company recently invited visitors to create their own commercial from the supplied clips and fonts.

The idea quickly caught the attention of environmentalists who created their own advertising campaign.

But despite the setbacks, everyone in the industry says online video 2.0 is here to stay and it is only a matter of time before a new tier of home-based entertainers become household names around the world.


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BBC NEWS | Programmes | Click | The viral video online revolution: