Written by Liz Gannes
Posted Monday, November 10, 2008 at 9:50 PM PT

Announcing the NewTeeVee Top 10 Breakout Video Stars of 2008

Brian Conley

As much as we love a great web series or a snarky commentator, there’s probably nothing proving the Internet’s rise as a media source more than the emergence online of quality journalism — aka “real news.” And there’s probably no one online more committed to delivering real news than Brian Conley of Alive in Baghdad. Case in point: When Conley and other web journalists were detained in China this year while covering a Free Tibet protest at the Olympics, it scored coverage from NewTeeVee, BoingBoing … and PBS and the New York Times.

Conley created Alive in Baghdad’s network of Iraqi journalists as a response to the traditional news media’s “Live from ____” style of plopping one of their own into a foreign hot-spot for a sound byte or two. As he says in a Rocketboom interview, “People live in Iraq… You can talk to them about what their lives are like. You don’t need to send some American or Western journalist to parachute in and … interpret it.”

But Alive in Baghdad is not about a pretentious show of man-on-the-street grit; it provides faces and emotions to attach to the nameless statistics usually making their way to us from the Iraq war. We’re reminded that this is a nation of people not so different from us, people with passionate callings, with heartbreaking struggles, and with as many opinions about our politics as we have about theirs. And when Conley was detained, or, more tragically, when AIB correspondent Ali Shefeya was killed late last year, we were reminded that stories like these are brought to us because of an extraordinary commitment, sometimes at an extraordinary cost.

And news doesn’t get any more real than that.

(J.W.)

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Topic: Hitlines, Shows & Stars

Comments (16)

Yay!
Thanks guys!
I can’t believe this is the video you posted! Yikes!
I think I may have to give the award back based on this!
HAHAHHAHAHHAHA
See you soon!
Buck

Buck — 4:48 AM on November 11, 2008 Reply
Hey Liz, great choices! Of these breakout video stars, any insights into their business success (e.g. advertising, e-commerce)? Thanks.

Jeff — 6:30 AM on November 11, 2008 Reply
Very cool selection – and a few I have yet to see. Quickly going to rectify that!
Have a great day!

Ian Maffett — 7:40 AM on November 11, 2008 Reply
Hey Jeff, I think/hope we’ll be hearing a lot more about their business success at the conference on Thursday.

Liz Gannes, NewTeeVee — 8:48 AM on November 11, 2008 Reply
felicia day is amazing but i have to ask– what does buck DOOOOOOOO???!?!?!?!

confused charlie — 9:09 AM on November 11, 2008 Reply
Felicia Day = Awesome. I can’t wait for the second season of The Guild.

I’m going to check out a few of those that I haven’t heard about before.

Congrats to all!

Eric Curtis — 9:40 AM on November 11, 2008 Reply
@Jeff: Actually, Felicia Day and I are gonna talk about our hair, mostly. Styling products, blow driers vs. straighteners, that sort of thing.

Liz Shannon Miller — 12:04 PM on November 11, 2008 Reply
I love that Conan towers over Gary. If Conan gets too annoyed, he can just squish Gary under his heel like an angry giant.

Matt Enlow — 12:10 PM on November 11, 2008 Reply
Good list, but the real question is…who is most likely to be 2009’s breakout video star?

Josh — 11:26 PM on November 11, 2008 Reply
great list. It seems like the stuff that is taking off is highly focused and concept driven. can’t wait to see who makes the list next year!

Rosa Sow — 12:20 PM on November 12, 2008 Reply
“Those seeking to use web video to further their careers could do much worse than to emulate her example — but the most important thing they should take note of is her friendly and open interaction with fans.”

Took the words right outta my mouth…

JenniPowell — 3:27 PM on November 12, 2008 Reply
I watched one of the funniest shows today and this guy will be on the list next year for sure.

Statix.tv
GamerGuru

Cheers,
Steve

Steve — 9:19 PM on November 12, 2008 Reply
thats haken awsome!!!!!

anna — 7:56 AM on November 13, 2008 Reply
He’s funny. I wsh I had his e-mail.

Steve Martinez — 7:09 AM on March 15, 2009 Reply
Watching Vaynerchuk is like a master class in brand building (a very hyperactive master class). The guy sticks to his message, engages with his community and constantly works to promote himself across every new platform available. He even squeezed in a video show during a recent flight on Southwest Airlines. No wonder we named him one of our 2008 Breakout Video Stars.

noname — 1:39 PM on May 2, 2009 Reply
Nice post, I always make a point of checking your blog, keep up the good work. Barbabra

Barbara Flemming — 6:44 PM on May 14, 2009 Reply

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