BusinessWeek doesn’t tend to pay attention to trends until mainstream businesses pay attention. The fact that companies are starting to notice the gradual proliferation of vlogs—video blogs—has caused the venerable business weekly to produce an article for its Web site to tout vlogs as “the latest Net phenomenon.”

Thousands of ordinary (and some downright nutty) people have begun posting a cornucopia of video fare online, from self-indulgent art clips and earnest citizen journalism to sly political commentary.

But, the article notes, commercial interests are piqued by vlogs’ growing popularity. Businesses are exploring the potential for online video distribution, advertising on vlogs, and the use of vlogs by corporations to reach customers and suppliers. (The same potential exists, of course, to reach investors and media, among other PR audiences.)