Joe Farrar

2^nd Opinion paper

Webcasting

The term webcast is generally accepted as meaning “the transmission of audio or video content over the Internet.” Webcasting is not a new technology; it has been around since the late nineteen-nineties. As of late, webcasting has become far more prevalent due to the fact that broadband internet connections are becoming the norm. This increased prevalence, combined with an increasingly savvy user, is changing the way businesses are able to communicate both internally and externally

For example, a CEO can now deliver a speech to all employees in real-time or have it archived to be viewed at a later date. Corporate training videos containing specific product information can also be made available behind the firewall to ensure employees possess the specific knowledge necessary to perform their duties. Additionally, customers are able to support themselves by accessing user-friendly streaming videos developed to answer common FAQ’s. This new form of communicating translates into savings in terms of both time and money for corporations. This savings stems from the end-user’s empowerment to choose when to review material.

New mediums are being introduced via the internet all the time. What was originally looked at as sophomoric and juvenile is being seen as big business. Take the online video site YouTube for example. YouTube doesn’t produce any content and it doesn’t sell anything to consumers. However, it recently was sold to Google for $1.65 billion dollars. The reason for YouTube’s success is because of its reach. It serves up 100 million videos per day to viewers all over the world making it the largest provider of online videos on the planet. YouTube is a mosaic of user-uploaded video content that ranges from cute to just plain bizarre. However, with more people spending more time online and less time watching television, it is able to compete with traditional broadcast companies by offering a range of options for users to view. In the future, I see YouTube becoming even more popular as they have stated that they will begin paying producers of content on a per hit basis. This per-hit model will give video producers more reason to create more entertaining and innovative content, thereby cementing YouTube’s place in the market.

Podcasting is another form of webcasting that uses either a personal compute or a portable music player to pull content that is selected from a list. The word "podcast" is derived from Apples iPod, and is distinguished from other webcasting formats through its ability to download automatically. Podcasts give the user the freedom to take the audio and, increasingly, video content with them wherever they go. Language lessons, corporate announcements, and museum tours can all be pushed down to the user so they can listen or watch it when it is most convenient. I was recently in a church that had a weekly podcast from its archdiocese for the congregation.

Webisodes are new and original content usually provided to supplement the original programming on either cable or television network. This is usually used to promote or advertise a show or product prior to its release. Additionally, original web based content similar in format to television shows have been produced for viewing solely online. However, these online programs usually last only for a few episodes.

As consumers demand these types of content, the technologies that support its delivery will get even better. We can expect surround-sound and high-definition quality video delivered at the click of a mouse. Companies will find ways to incorporate these technologies into their corporate culture and to take advantage of emerging technologies to serve their best interests. In the long run, this means that we can expect both a richer online experience at home and at the office.