Using other services to create a local media org - March 2016

Video storage to allow videos to be embedded into blog posts:

• Vimeo
• YouTube

Image storage to allow images to be embedded into blog posts:

• Flickr

Video livestream:

• Facebook Live
• Twitter's Periscope

Photo and short video storage and/or for networking/journaling:

• Instagram

Blogging/writing/reporting on own custom domain name at:

• Wordpress
• Tumblr
• Medium
• Ghost
• or using hand-rolled/downloaded software on a server at a hosting provider

If I had to choose, I would select:

• Writing: hand-rolled/downloaded software on a server at a hosting provider. This could still be Wordpress or Ghost, but it would run on "my own" server, instead of on their servers.
• Image storage: Flickr for storing a large number of images without annoying followers. Even though Flickr can be a social network, I would use it as a storage bin, unless I used the image upload feature within the writing app, which would mean storing the images on my own server, requiring more disk space and backup storage. I would simply embed the Flickr-stored images into blog posts, like I have done for years.
• Social networking: Twitter and especially Instagram for sharing select photos and 15-second videos with journaling notes and hashtags. These images could also be embedded into a blog post.
• Live streaming video: Twitter's Periscope.
• Discussions: Twitter
• Video storage: YouTube. I would use YouTube as a storage bin and not as a social network. The videos would be embedded into blog posts.