Most people don't like being represented as black or white, but the video contrast ratio can reduce them to stereotypes. Again, it's the contrast ratio that causes the problem. If the camera is close enough, the slight amount of front light will hold up, but in most cases it drops off the dark end of the contrast ratio. It also looks worse and worse each generation down from the camera original. From what I've seen, side lighting seems to work best on video if there is reasonable 'fill' for the front, or if it is only from one side.
Lighting can of course also be simply too dark for the video camera.
I've been asked to videotape pieces lit by candles, flashlights, black-lights, and glow paint. Another good rule of thumb is that if it is dark enough for front projection slides, it's probably too dark for good video. There are of course compromises. Broadcast cameras are beginning to change. Since their engineering was primarily for the biggest customers, broadcast news crews, and since a single camera costs in the tens of thousands of dollars, apparently the engineers figured most people would just turn on a light.