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Webcasting has come of age over the past few years, making it a viable option for organizations large and small. However, while event webcasting technology makes it possible to get your message to the masses using engaging, interactive tools, it also has a learning curve. Should you invest the time and energy to do-it-yourself or should you opt for a managed enterprise webcasting solution? Let's look at the pros and cons of each. What is Webcasting? Webcasting involves streaming, or broadcasting, live or recorded audio and video to audiences over the Internet. In other words, a broadcast over the Web. Like television broadcasts, webcasts can be distributed as a live event. After the event, the webcast can also be made available on demand if desired. Webcasting and Web conferencing, though similar, are not the same. Webcasting is typically a one-to-many medium while Web conferencing is a many-to-many medium. While webcast participants can typically ask questions using a chat box, the medium is not generally used for extensive interactions among participants. In general, companies that want to host a webcast have two choices: choose a do-it-yourself tool or order a managed webcast. Do-it-Yourself Webcasting Do-it-yourself event webcasting involves using webcasting software to deliver your presentation over the Web. Whether you have an existing PowerPoint presentation you'd like to share, an expert you plan on interviewing live, or an inspirational story you'd like to stream live over the Internet, software can make it possible. However, you will need to handle everything including technical details such as installing software, uploading your presentation and related documents, testing audio and video connections, and more. You'll also need to manage the webcast as it occurs such as by moderating questions or troubleshooting errors – all incredibly difficult if you are one of the main presenters. In addition, each presenter will need a computer equipped with the software, adding more complexity to the mix. Managed Event Webcasting Managed event webcasting is an enterprise webcasting service where a webcasting provider handles everything except the presentation itself. For example, if your organization wants to hold a virtual seminar with multiple speakers and chooses a managed event webcast, the entire team would go to the service provider's location (or the provider might come to your location) and everything would be set up and ready to go. This is akin to going to a television studio to broadcast your production. With a managed webcast event, you'll work with the provider in advance to work out all of the details. From there, the provider will create and upload content as well as schedule the webcast. On the day of the event, all presenters will be provided with the necessary equipment such as laptops and headsets as well as trained on the enterprise webcasting platform being used. By choosing a managed event webcast, your presenters can focus on their presentations – not the underlying technology. Meanwhile, the provider's staff will actively manage the webcast as it occurs ensuring that everything goes according to plan. While do-it-yourself webcasting can serve a need for smaller or internal events, events with a large audience and where professionalism is an absolute must can benefit from a managed webcasting solution. The author of this article has worked in the IT industry for a number of years. He is also part-time lecturer and like to use webinar services and live webcasting tools to teach his class (Source:http://info.mediaplatform.com/Business-Case-for-Event-Webcasting.html). He found it to be convenient when you can’t be at two places at once.
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communications, video conferencing, business, webcasting,
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