YouTube may be all the rage, but some online sources rank Blip.tv as the best video sharing site on the web (for example, check out this article in PC World: http://www.pcworld.com/article/136089/top_10_video_sharing_sites.html). Blip.tv seeks to pioneer the “next generation” of video programming by incorporating a stringent set of standards with which its users must comply, by adopting a tradition of breaking down barriers between the media and their consumers, and by taking steps to ensure the site’s sustainability over time.

That means they’ve instilled rigorous, zero-tolerance principles surrounding piracy and pornography, policing their site “just like retailers police their stores” (www.blip.tv/). They encourage their members to adopt Creative Commons licenses, and refuse to allow pornography traffic on their site.

Blip.tv’s stated mission and principles are pretty impressive, especially their attempt to democratize the production and distribution of video content. Their statement that the ease of video production today which “allows anyone to create the next great sitcom, to share the reality of daily life across cultural boundaries, to share political thoughts and educational materials,” is a “beautiful thing,” leaves users feeling both righteous and empowered.

Some (including the above-referenced PC World article) say Blip.tv’s video/audio quality and ease of upload are superior to YouTube’s. They’ve had a revenue sharing program longer than YouTube, and treat their online communities of content creators and consumers as stakeholders in the venture. Blip uses ongoing direct interaction with its videoblogging community to design new features and improve existing ones.

I’m not saying definitively that Blip.tv is better than YouTube, but it’s certainly worth a look.