Go Pro Cameras and Streaming Video is a Media Game Changer

Go Pro Camera with WiFi kit

Chicago, IL—During the recent NATO protests in the Windy City, there were as many as a dozen people using IPads and IPhones to broadcast live streaming video to the Internet.

The images were only as good as the WiFi connections available and the tiny camera lenses would permit.  Some were better than others.  The real breakthrough here was that this technological marvel could be managed by nearly anyone.

I spent several hours watching what the NATO protest I-cameras were broadcasting and found it interesting along with some very candid remarks by protesters.   I had to guess the locations they were broadcasting from, by the local landmarks because the camera operators were not professional or even marginal reporters.  They simply let the cameras roll.

Perhaps ustream.com or the camera makers could direct their consumers to some places where they could get some very basic reporter instruction.  Reporting on who, where and why this event is unfolding is as important as broadcasting the pictures.   Of course you never want to interrupt important sound from your newsmakers.  YouTube has several such tutorials posted right now.

The incredible power here is that with minimal cost anyone can instantly broadcast live video at a breaking news event where the whole world can see exactly what’s happening.  

Go Pro has been making inexpensive cameras for primarily capturing sporting activity from skiing, surfing to every form of racing sports.  The quality of the video and images is breathtaking.

Now they are offering Wi-Fi kits that would enable people in the thick of civil unrest, rescue efforts or any major newsworthy to wear live HD video cameras.   The images can be seen on sites such as ustream.com and can be picked up by any other broadcasters such as television news.

I fully expect to see a variety of inexpensive, stand-alone WIFi kits being offered to use with today’s prosumer video cameras for even better images and audio. 

The only limitation for live broadcast is a steady broadband Internet connection.   In populated areas outside of the Third World this is less of a problem every day.  

In case you were wondering these cameras are also incredibly effective for surveillance applications.  They can be placed covertly almost anywhere subject to battery life or external power sources.

I favor Go Pro because of the price, quality of images and their commitment to engineering every possible way to mount their products.