Lately, video and podcasting blogs are making a huge inroad in popularity. A common question I’m asked at workshops and speaker gigs is how long a podcast or blog video should be.

I thought I knew the answer: thirty minutes. That is what works for me. An hour long program means that I typically have to pay attention to it in two sections since I rarely have that much free time in one chunk. But that’s not the answer I got from those I talked to.

Most people have told me that they enjoy 45 to 60 minute shows on their favorite blogs with multimedia. They listen to them while driving, running, jogging, exercising, and working, and a few even while relaxing instead of spending time with television.

But what about you? How long is long enough for you for a podcast or blog video? Are you willing to listen to a podcast longer than watch a video? Or the reverse?

If you are a podcaster or video blogger, have you found some trends in time lengths that work best for you and your blog?

Great news for video publishers that want to expand their possible viewership on YourTube videos, now you can add captions to your videos. From the official blog:

You can add captions to one of your videos by uploading a closed caption file using the “Captions and Subtitles” menu on the editing page. To add several captions to a video, simply upload multiple files. If you want to include foreign subtitles in multiple languages, upload a separate file for each language.

BBC, CNET, MIT, and Japanese anime publisher Gonzodoga are among the partners mentioned in said blog post. read more

12seconds.tv is something of a Twitter for video. The site lets you share videos of up to 12 seconds length, which by itself is something of a challenge. Personally, I’m not convinced, I just don’t see why I should use the service.

That hasn’t stopped it from releasing an API, which might be what the service needs. VentureBeat writes about it, and notes that there’s already support for 12seconds.tv in TweetDeck, one of those Adobe AIR applications that lets you update numerous social web sites, like Twitter. The API, by the way, is available here.

Does 12seconds.tv have a future? What do you think?

As part of the ongoing series on WTF Blog Design Clutter, it’s time to tackle all those videos and pictures you want to share with the world through your blog.

There are two ways of sharing video and pictures with your blog readers and friends. Only one influences your blog’s design.

Example of appropriate use of videos in a blog's sidebar, reflecting the blog's purpose.

Typically, pictures and videos are shared through your blog posts as part of your blog’s content. Many bloggers want to share videos and pictures through their blog’s design, typically in the blog’s ever crowded sidebar. Some even want to go so far as forcing videos to start the moment someone lands on the page with the video, a serious no-no on the web. Let the reader choose to initiate the video.
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Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has just announced that it has acquired global distribution rights to online video site Rocketboom.com.

This will include the service being fully integrated with Sony’s own online video network Crackle.com, together with cross-promotion of content from both sites. read more

Redlasso, a Website that enables users to search media broadcasts and create clips to share, has suspended its service. The service is in the midst of defending itself from copyright infringement lawsuits filed by NBC and FOX News.

All is not lost, however. Users can still use the site’s business-targeted service to track and clip content for internal use.

According to Redlasso Chief Executive Ken Hayward:

“We are very disappointed in the actions of select networks. We believe we have always acted within the law and have been respectful of the networks’ rights. They have forced our hand and are denying the blogging community access to the Redlasso platform that beneficially tracks the usage of newsworthy clips across the Web.”

Do you think bloggers should be allowed to use clips and full-length programs of shows within their posts?

Another point of contention is that RedLasso claims to split advertising revenue with producers and owners of the content. However, broadcasters appear to be unaware of any such arrangement.

Loren Feldman is having a busy week. Yesterday, 1938 Media inked a deal with Verizon Wireless to carry his content on their VCast network, according to this post at TechCrunch. Feldman confirmed the news later in the day yesterday with a brief video post. read more

Loren Feldman, of 1938 Media, has put an end to the Shel Israel puppet game.

In his post from Saturday evening entitled Open Letter to Shel Israel: It’s Over, Feldman announces the end of the dispute to Shel read more

CNet takes a look at the technology behind TMZ.com - one of the leading celebrity news blogs:

Other newsrooms have migrated from videotape to digital, but TMZ, perhaps best-known for its reporting on Seinfeld star Michael Richards’ racist tirade, was designed for the Digital Age. Not only does this enable TMZ cameramen to shoot using lighter, less expensive cameras, but editors don’t have to rip up entire TV shows each time they make changes, says Jim Paratore, TMZ’s executive producer.

For these reasons, TMZ often has stories up before rivals and operates more efficiently, executives say. As chilling as this may sound to some, TMZ could be the prototype of a 21st century news agency.

Their integrated use of lightweight “prosumer” video has put them far out ahead of most of their competition - driving their traffic to around 10m monthly unique visitors.

CBS are revamping their web player, and in the process they’re making it possible to embed it on outside websites. Other news includes HD picture quality, full-screen viewing, and a new interface. The CBS web player will be upgraded over the coming months.

That means that CBS is doing what ABC is not, adding embed features to the player and embracing the blogosphere that is. I think it’s a good idea, since the Hulu service is rumored to allow embedding soon enough, and I’m sure the competing networks would like to steal some Hulu thunder.