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facebook diaries

It's funny how a video site like YouTube could start influencing Web 2.0 in such a short period of time. While watching the Champions League match between AS Roma and Manchester United, I just saw a TV trailer for Facebook Diaries. Facebook and Ziddio are hosting a contest to allow users to create video autobiographies and to subsequently rate other people's entries. Facebook Diaries is supposed to be an online TV series about users like you.

Every two weeks until late summer, Facebook and Ziddio will post a theme for users to consider in their video diaries. The eventual winner ill have a chance to have their online video diary be aired on national TV. The comments have been mixed. Judging from the wall, there has been a very lukewarm reception. Someone had no idea what was going on. Another user commented that this was lame. The producer's blog was pretty cheesy. Here is an excerpt from that blog.

"If a diary is a portrait of the self, then declarations are the brushstrokes. As you ask yourself questions, you are beginning to choose the colors that tell the story of who you are. The debut topic of Facebook Diaries is, 'Who am I?' A deceptively simple question with an endless scatter of possible answers. We begin this series with an essential question, because unlike like many questions, 'Who am I?' is not only the core of who we are, but the echo of who we were and the bud of who we will someday be. In your video diary, as long as you tell the truth about yourself, any direction you take is the right one. Who are you to your closest friends? To the stranger in the elevator? Who are you compared to who you thought you'd be by now? Compared to who you hope you'll become?"

These are some pretty lame questions and marketing. Why would anyone tell their true story "in the quiet of their own solitude when no on is looking"? The group does have 288 members, but I'm surprised that there are not more. Then again, it seems like they're attracting sob stories and the worst of reality TV. There have been 21 entries so far. There was two or maybe three videos that were somewhat entertaining. The other videos were pretty terrible. At least the ratings reflected that.

I will give Facebook and Ziddio the benefit of doubt. This contest has just started on March 29th, so I'm guessing it will take at least one more week or two weeks for users to start embracing it. The chance to get on national TV is always enticing to the average person in America. I can see the creation of a Facebook group mocking this contest. I wouldn't be surprised if this was mocked on YouTube as well.

posted by Koh @ 12:49 PM