Zoom Presenter AV Tech Checks – Are you ready for your close-up?

Virtual events aren't going anywhere any time soon and as companies have shifted to a full-time remote workforce over the last two years, most people have figured out how to join and participate in virtual meetings. While most meetings don't require you to turn on your camera, which can save you from a bad hair day or even getting dressed for your work day, there are many occasions when you have to start your video and smile at the camera. So, when the time comes for you to turn on camera, unmute your mic and share your big presentation in a virtual meeting on Zoom or Teams or any virtual event platform, are you ready for your close up? 

As follow up to my last two posts, Build your own Micro Studio and Your Virtual Production Home Studio – There's No Place Like Home, this post shares a checklist my team and I created for our Zoom presenters to help prepare them for virtual stage. We usually schedule a day or more of tech checks with each our presenters before the virtual events that we produce. The tech checks usually take only 15-minutes depending on the level of knowledge and comfort our presenters have with Zoom.  

Zoom Presenter AV Tech Check List

 

Internet Connection

• Use Zoom app not web browser (keep app updated)

• VPN off (it consumes too much bandwidth)

• Wired Internet preferred vs. Wifi (tether to mobile as last resort)

 

Communications

• Zoom controls (video, audio, chat)

• Host will ask to unmute/turn on camera (Host can’t turn on their cameras and need to ask)

• Intercom for communication with production team behind the scenes

 

Clock

• Timer counting down amount of time to present (available for produced events)

 

Audio & Video

• Video - controls, on/off

• Audio – sound check, use computer audio, USB mic or built-in mic vs. telephone

 

Content

• Share content using Zoom share or with video capture card 

• Pin “slide” window to see any Zoom video full screen for your local view

 

Background

• Virtual or physical background

 

Lighting

• Natural or artificial lighting (even lighting)

 

Camera framing

• Camera angle and eye contact (head and shoulders in view with camera at eye line)

Build your own Micro Studio

Over the last two years the rise in mini or “micro” studios around the world grew as the new economy of virtual meetings hit an all-time high. I don't mean micro-studio apartments, what I'm talking about is transforming small office spaces into a personal video production studio with enhanced audio and video technology that provide professional studio quality in a safe environment. 

As it's said, necessity is the mother of invention. COVID created challenges and opportunities for the video industry, and it forced us all to work differently and adapt, and regardless of what happened the need to communicate was our driving force and the show must go on. 

So, early in the pandemic my team and I created a series of micro studios within our regional headquarters by converting empty offices into small studio spaces we call micro studios. We did it by necessity, as we had to socially distance our studio presenters and talent since they couldn't be in the same space due to COVID restrictions. But in our micro studios, they could safely meet with each other over a video call from their own mini studios.

But why go to all the trouble of building your own micro studio if the built-in webcam and microphone on your laptop and just regular ambient light works fine for most meetings? 

Because production quality matters, and high-quality video content increases engagement. So, if you’re presenting important information, teaching a class, public speaking or if you're appearing on any virtual event or broadcast TV, and you want to stand out and look and sound the best you can, then this blog post is for you. 

As we built our micro studios, we tested a lot of different equipment and set ups and developed an affordable solution that we could replicate. We've successfully connected them to Zoom, Teams, WebEx, Vmix call, OBS, Restream, and many other virtual event platforms. Several of our regional leaders use our micro studios on a regular basis for their important board meetings and high-profile external events. I'd also add that we instituted and follow COVID workplace safety procedures to keep our staff and guests safe by wearing masks and disinfecting workspaces and equipment.

Here are the main components of our micro studios:

1. Computer - The Apple Mac mini M1 model 16 GB RAM, keyboard, mouse, is great if you’re using it primarily for virtual meetings and lighter streaming applications this model works great and runs, Zoom, Teams OBS, and all productivity apps with ease. 

2. Monitor - This is a real subjective choice, depending on what other work you do an inexpensive LCD monitor with HDMI inputs will work. We use the LG 29WN600-W 29" 21:9 UltraWide and the Acer B277 27" LED LCD Monitor.

3. Speakers - The Yamaha NX-50 Premium Computer Speakers were recommended by my audio engineers for their great sound at an affordable price. They work well and sound great although for most applications we prefer the in-ear monitors for very conversational sessions. This helps avoid any sort of audio slap back that isn’t eliminated by the echo cancellation in the video call software. 

4. Webcam - Logitech Brio 4K Webcam is the industry standard to get HD quality and look really great on camera. There are plenty of other options for higher quality with DSLR‘s, Blackmagic Pocket cinema cameras, but the Brio is a workhorse for your business meetings and webinars. Logitech has the Logi Tune app you can download that controls the settings from the Brio like your zoom ratio, white balance, focus, brightness and contrast. Logitech Capture app is also a content creation tool you can use with your webcam.

5. Audio interface - We handle audio differently than regular meetings, which usually are fine with just an inexpensive USB headset or Bluetooth earbuds. We use professional studio sound equipment that includes an audio interface, an omnidirectional lavalier microphone and an in ear monitor. In the micro studios we use the Focusrite Scarlett Solo 2x2 USB Audio Interface, and for our travel audio kits we’ve developed for our senior leaders we use the Shure X2U XLR-to-USB Signal Adapter. Both devices have professional XLR inputs and headphone jacks to monitor your audio input and output and a USB port to connect to your computer. The Scarlet has quarter inch 6.35 mm (1⁄4 in) outs which helps integration with other professional audio equipment. 

6. Microphone & in ear monitor - While more inexpensive options are available, we go DPA all the way. We use the 4060 Series Miniature Omnidirectional lavalier microphones and DPA Microphones d:fine In-Ear Broadcast Headset. We use DPA microphones in studio and these amazing mics have withstood the rigors of space travel and exploring the sounds of Mars. More inexpensive options are available like the  Sennheiser XS Lav USB-C Lapel Mic or any of these USB Lavalier Microphones.

7. Lighting - Depending on the room and size of the space, we use a similar approach but have several different lighting instruments with both ring lights and soft light panels. We don't use three-point lighting in our micro studios since that would be too dramatic and overkill. The key is to have flat even lighting on your subject so that there are no shadows. Soft incident light helps create that look and a simple way to achieve this look is to bounce your lights off your office walls. You can also position your lights to avoid those round ring light circles or lighting reflections in glasses. We use a few different lights in our spaces, like the VL-200T Portable LED Video Ultra-Thin Dimmable Lighting Panel with the Neewer Mini Set of Two Aluminum Photography Back Light Stands. We also use the more expensive Litepanels Astra 6X Bi-Color LED Panels. For ring lights, we use the CLAR Luminous Pro 19" Bi-Color Ringlight Plus which has actually been discontinued, so a good alternative is the CLAR LF-Y500 Double Arm 3000-6500K LED Light or the VidPro RL-18 LED 18" Ring Light. 

8. Green screen - Using a green screen with your virtual backgrounds on Zoom calls will enhance your quality with a professional looking chroma key. We use the FUDESY Collapsible Chromakey Panel Green Screen-77 x74 Backdrop with great results.

There are so many other equipment options out there as the market shifted to remote work and home studios over the last two years. We've tried out many solutions and found this collection of products work best in our environment. I'll be sharing more detail on some of the individual components and devices in future posts.

I'd love to hear what technology and solutions you're using in your own micro studios. Let me know if you have any recommendations or what you're doing to get the best audio and video quality for your virtual events.

I'm Baaack! The Return of Klessblog

I'm happy to announce that after a long hiatus, Klessblog is back! 

It's been years since I've published on this blog, and I've been wanting to do so for some time. So much has changed over the last two years and in the many years since I was active on this blog. Online video is now everywhere, streaming is a household word, and Zoom is the most common way we meet with each other these days. 

There's no going back to the way things were before Covid. Our lives have changed in so many ways and the distance between who we are now and who we were then, and how we live our lives in the world today, with our faces covered by masks most of the time, is the new normal we've adapted to during the pandemic. 

Business models have evolved, new markets have emerged and every one of us have learned so much along the way that our old lives seem a distant memory. Offices full of workers packed and stacked in high-rises in the dense cityscape are all but empty, with the remote workforce now in non-stop Zoom and Teams meetings, instant messages, screen sharing, muting, unmuting, virtual backgrounds are all part of our everyday work lives. 

Many of us had to shelter-in-place for months on end and continue to maintain social distance from each other, and as time went by so many businesses both big and small, restaurants, bars, music and entertainment venues closed up their doors, workers were furloughed, supply chains disrupted and our economy and mental health took a downward spiral. But many of us took up new hobbies and art forms, worked on projects that we had long put on hold, started new business ventures, and innovated in ways we we never had before. As movie theaters closed, online video subscription services we called OTT (over-the-top) television, now just streaming services, are ubiquitous and available as apps on our all our various devices and Smart TVs. 

With all the changes in our lives, the most serious impact of Covid has been on our healthcare system which has been staggering for our medical professionals. In one of the most politicized public health issues in generations with over 900,000 lives lost from the virus, an ambivalent America struggles with an uncertain future. We've called our healthcare workers heroes time and time again to be there to save the day, but the truth is they are not asking for praise... but for just kindness, masks and vaccines. so they can sustain themselves and keep up their fight against the deadly coronavirus. 

I've spent the last two years of my 32 years as a healthcare technology professional innovating in new ways to support the many physicians, nurses, staff and leadership whom I worked with everyday. In this new way of working, my team and I pivoted from producing live in-person events to 100% virtual events. We're no longer setting up extensive AV systems in hotel ballrooms with lights, cameras and the action we all knew so well,  and now simply log on to Zoom and Vmix and broadcast to any platform. And for many of us videoconferencing and  streaming isn't new at all.

I'm hoping to find more time to share what I've learned over the last several years in the online video and meeting space, new technology solutions and innovative ways my team and I have adapted our production environment and workflows today. My thanks to you all for still reading this blog and I wish you all well. 

It's good to be back and look for more posts here soon!

Read Part Two of my Streamingmedia.com article, "No Second Chances, Part 2: Best Practices for Live Events"

Part two of my Streaming Media article, No Second Chances, Part 2: Best Practices for Live Events - Streaming Media Magazine, is now in print and online. The second installment looks at different ways to make the overall webcast experience engaging for your online audience using a variety of different video production techniques interactive tools. Live events have changed dramatically over the last few years with the evolution of enterprise video platforms and the rise of virtual events and live webcasting. Today, companies are now incorporating new and innovative ways to engage their growing online audiences.

Webcasting tools have become easier to use, and, with the development of interactive and social media tools, they’ve evolved from one-way broadcasts into two-way conversations. But just because you have myriad bells and whistles at your disposal doesn’t mean you have to use every one for every event. As I said in Part 1 of my article, “the key is to use the right technology to make it easy to reach the live audience and virtual attendees and provide them a quality and worthwhile experience.”

Here's a brief excerpt from part two:

THE MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE

We’ve already established that you need the right team with the right tools and the right capabilities at your live event venue. But what are the secret tricks to creating an engaging experience for your audience with streaming video, audio, graphics, and real-time interaction to move them from passive viewers to active participants?

If you only take away only one thing from this article, remember this tip: Don’t let your online audience be an afterthought. You need to cater to their needs by making their experience as engaging as the live audience’s, but in a different way.

Waiting for the big event to begin, in person and online (Photo credit: Harvey Woo)

Look no further than popular culture to see what "American Idol" has done to capture its live audience. The producers were deliberate with their intent, because they knew that the real show was on the screens of millions of TV viewers; it was not for the hundreds of people in the live audience. They didn’t skimp on production value, and, from the start, they introduced an audience response text-to-vote system that gave the audience the power to influence the outcome of the show.

Just think: What if you put that capability into the hands of your online audience? We’d be able to vote off every boring presenter known to mankind!

Corporate communications departments are seeing the shift as well. Donn Kanagaki, senior manager of IT communications at Kaiser Permanente, oversees the employee outreach events for the CIO and senior IT leadership, which incorporate a combination of a live event, webcast, WebEx, and telephone bridge in order to reach more than 6,000 employees across five time zones. About one-third of the IT employees are able to attend the event live via webcast, but the online numbers are growing. Kanagaki says, “We have to recognize that the majority of our employees that participate are watching online, so we need to look at ways to better engage them.”

While Kaiser Permanente CIO Phil Fasano addresses an in-person audience of several hundred, the live webcast reaches thousands of employees who can watch the event online and submit questions directly to the CIO and senior leaders. 

In the words of Marshall McLuhan, “The medium is the message,” and the message can be delivered more effectively using the latest interactive technologies. You may have to use a hybrid approach with a combination of tools based on the capabilities of your webcast or webconferencing platform. Beyond content design, it really does come down to pushing the limits of any platform and streaming technology to achieve the best two-way experience for your attendees and yourself.

TELL A STORY

The plain and simple fact is that no technology, however great it is, can make a boring presenter better. You have to design your presentation to the right audience using the best set of tools and production value to carry your message. But beyond any technology, presenters need to connect with their audience.

All the great presenters, from Steve Jobs to Gary Vaynerchuk to Isabel Allende, use storytelling to convey their messages. People respond to personal stories because they convey emotion and a universal message.

According to Tim Schmoyer, producer of The Reel Web for Reelseo.com and one of the most diversely skilled and knowledgeable people in the online video space, storytelling is important and the best way to get your message across. “Stories are something that everyone enjoys and appreciates, and there’s an emotional connection to stories,” says Schmoyer. “What we really believe in is that stories are much more compelling, especially if you can tell a story that answers the ‘why?’ question.”


Continue reading the full article at: No Second Chances, Part 2: Best Practices for Live Events - Streaming Media Magazine


My thanks again, to the many people who I have worked with over the years to help me learn what works best for live events, and what doesn't work so well. Also, my thanks to the many clients I have worked with who have trusted me to produce their live events. I also want to thank the following people for contributing to this article, including: Nick Balletta, CEO of TalkPoint, Donn Kanagaki, senior manager of IT communications at Kaiser Permanente, Tim Schmoyer, producer of the Reel Web for ReelSEO.com, Casey Wilms, product manager at Zencoder, Mike Folgner, CEO and co-founder of SnappyTV, Harvey Louie, technical director, producer, and consultant of the webcasting company Event Compression Group, my good friend and creative partner Harvey Woo, owner and creative director of Professional Sound Productions, my production manager and traffic controller  Steve Dung, owner of Visions Plus video production services and my IT partner and colleague James Adams, Manager of Virtual Event Delivery at Kaiser Permanente.

My thank you's could go on and on, so I'll cut it short, and finally extend my thanks to my trusted crew and "A" team for your professionalism and support, you know who are... (Sammy, Dwight, Dominic "Baby Dom", Marcia, Brad, Tom, Alfonso, Jason "JJ", Rachel "Ray Ray", Harold "Dirty B", Luke, Ricker, Lorin, Paul and Weyman "The Pro Sound backbone", and the Young Guns, Sam, Matt, Brandon and Josh, and again, Harvey.)

This article appears in the August/September 2013 issue of Streaming Media magazine as:  No Second Chances, Part 2: Best Practices for Live Events.

Businesses are increasingly depending on live event streaming. For expert tips on how to pull them off like a pro, read the second part of our series.
by Larry Kless

The Evolution of Enterprise Video Platforms (Infographic) and The Rise of Virtual Event Delivery

This infographic by Mediaplatform, an enterprise video platform, looks at the explosive growth in the use of video in the enterprise over the last decade. It started with voice-only teleconferencing, which naturally evolved into videoconferencing. Then, the need to extend to desktops  evolved into web conferencing, webcasts, online collaboration, virtual event delivery and telepresense. It grew out of necessity to expand beyond videoconferencing rooms and conference centers to reach all desktops and mobile devices, as well providing richer metrics on audience engagement.

The need to be connected everywhere, all the time, with access to information and your online contacts is still a new phenomenon within the backdrop of the analog age. We used to use a variety of physical media, such as, audio cassettes, VHS tapes, 35mm slides, and conduct all training and in-person. Production costs were high, satellite transmissions were expensive and editing was all done on film or tape. CD-ROMs and DVDs made things easier for a short time, with the ability to better organize our content into chapters. But as the Mediaplatform infographic shows, the Internet changed everything and gave us the ability to use video for live and archived productions and events at a fraction of the cost of analog video, powered by an industry of enterprise video platforms.

"By contrast, tools such as on-demand webcasting and online video portals now allow trainees to view video content from their own laptop, desktop, or even mobile devices. Employees can now collaborate on projects from remote locations with much greater ease and efficiency through the use of video conferencing and webcasting tools. With this all in mind, we thought it would be a fun exercise to develop an infographic highlighting the evolution of business video in the enterprise."


© 2013 MediaPlatform

What's Next?

Today, the integration real-time of business communication services with non-real-time messaging services make up the unified communications suite. But what's next for the enterprise? This article on the, One Market Media Blog - Google Glass, Lifecasting and the Future of Business Video, explores how augmented reality and wearable devices like Google Glass and Apple's iWatch will have a dramatic effect on business video and customer experiences.

Infographics Sources

• The Evolution of Enterprise Video Platforms| Mediaplatform
• The Past, Present, and Future of Enterprise Video | ReelSEO
• What does a corporate web video cost? 25 Factors (with prices) that affect corporate video production costs. - Marketing with Video and Rich Media Blog | One Market Media

10 Tips for Producing Live Events

Over the last twenty years of producing live events I've learned a lot about how things can go right and wrong, and from good to bad, and from bad to worse. Most problems stem from the things that have fallen through the cracks. Forgotten tasks that didn't make it to a list or get delegated, and either creep up on you or blow up in your face. But you can avoid most problems with proper planning and clear communication. The best shows are the ones where everyone knows what to do and the show comes off without a hitch. Whether you are in studio or on location, the same rules apply if you want to be successful. I've worked on this post on and off over the past years adding a bits and pieces of what I've learned that's helped make my shows successful, and now present it as my ten tips for producing live events.

1) Know your client(s) - if you are the event producer you need to communicate directly with the main client. Most executives and professional speakers have handlers, communications staff who write their material maintain their messages, admin staff who directly support them and maintain their schedules and a variety of reporting staff, directors, managers, leads, you get the point. There are layers between you and the main client, who in the end, is whom you are working for. Whether you are planning the event logistics, identifying the technical requirements, working on content or estimating the budget - all things flow from the wants and needs of the main client. You can save your self a lot of work if you can get a meeting with the main client in advance and discuss staging, presentation style in advance. With all the handlers, you get a lot of filtered information and waste a lot of time getting through the layers.

2) Conduct a site survey - knowing your location is your best defense against failure. Not only are you able to assess the space for room dimensions, ceiling height, power needs, lighting, noise, Internet connections, access to loading dock, etc...  you also get to meet the people who manage the venue – and who will ultimately be the ones that support you and your production. Some venues will let you bring in all your own gear, without any buy-out fee – but some venues have exclusives on lighting and audio, and can even be within the jurisdiction of a local I.A.T.S.E. union, like Local 16 in San Francisco, and you'll be required to hire union labor. If you're a producer, it's best to work with a meeting planner who can deal with the hotel contract so you can focus on the AV and event production. But be sure to make friends with the venue, both the in-house AV and banquets staff. Don't forget that you're in their house and they are key partners in your success. The two most important aspects of your site survey are to gain intelligence and build relationships.

3) Have a plan - with every live event there are various templates that can be applied to the production. While each set up is distinct there are standards to follow when the space allows. Most live events takes place in an auditorium, conference room, convention center or ballroom. Video village, as it's called, or video control is back stage and is where the director, technical director, producer, engineer, graphics, projectionist and webcast or videoconference producer and that's the central nervous system of your equipment set up, signal flow and distribution, connectivity, interactive tools and lots and lots of cabling. Go into each set up with a game plan on how you will set up video village, where each station will be and what needs to connect to what.

4) Have an A-Team - it goes without saying that there's no "I" in team, and the best way to achieve your results is to be surrounded by people you trust, people who are professionals and experts in the field, and people you can rely onto do their jobs. With so many moving parts of your live event, you can't micro-manage, or keep track of every detail within each department. So that's where your team comes in to help you be those extra eyes and ears to catch any issues and ultimately get the job done right.

5) Stick to budget and deadlines - It's easy to go over budget when you start adding extra wireless microphones, Internet and power drops, cameras, and probably one of the biggest cost over-runs is not correctly estimating the amount of time it actually takes to produce your event. In most cases, labor can be your biggest cost, and if you don't account for overtime, and even double time, you run the risk of being way over budget. Having the proper staffing ratio is crucial to staying on time and budget. You need to have the right amont of labor to get the job done, and not either under or over staff. If you're producing a video webcast with a live audience, you'll have core costs that will cover equipment and labor.

6) Stick to the plan - Go into each show with a scripted game plan. Even a simple a simple agenda can be something that your crew follows, but a detailed run of show document that maps out the show flow is the best document to use. Your plan should also include set-up diagrams that shows signal flow; floor plans that shows they room layout and location of AV, cameras, lighting, catering; and, any other documents like webcast information, call sheets, production schedules and checklists for both the crew and clients to follow.

7) Plan a rehearsal - The more you know, the better the you do... and the best way to know is to practice. Aside from presenters being able practice clicking through their slides and getting comfortable with the environment, you need to know their transitions, cues for videos, music, camera angles and blocking, along with how the show will open and close. Will your presenters have walk-on music, on screen graphics, or need Internet access? Is there an announcer or VOG? How will Q&A be handled? It's best to have that all figured out in advance and rehearse with your presenters and crew. If time permits, try to gather the crew together for a show flow meeting, then go through a tech rehearsal with the crew, followed by rehearsals with each presenter. Beginnings, middle and ends, along with transitions, video rolls, lighting changes, and every audio and video cue should be rehearsed.

8) Avoid last minute changes - Last minute changes can be either highly disruptive or no harm at all. Fixing a typo on a slide or slight change to an element on stage usually won't upset the apple cart. But adding new content at the last minute, like a brand new slide show or video, should be avoided. Especially, if you don't get time to test or practice, that last minute change could blow up in your face, and make your presenters and clients look foolish. But be prepared for last minute changes and if there’s time  – update your script, rehearse if possible, but say, “No, we’re out of time” when you have to. Really, there’s nothing worse than a major on-air blunder.

9) Be prepared, and always have back up - As the Boy Scouts' motto says, "Be prepared." Not only for emergencies, but, "for any old thing." Live events are just that... they're live. Anything can happen. The presenter's wireless microphone could go out. You could lose power which could effect audio, lighting and the live feed. Make sure you have back up microphones and a reliable power source. If you have a lot of lighting, make sure you have a head electrician who can manage the power needs for all the lights so you don't trip a breaker or blow a circuit. For graphics, it's common to have a primary and back up computer to run your slides, and always wire the stage. You never know when a presenter will come with their own laptop and have videos they want to run, so having the cabling already set will save your


10) Roll with it - the old show business phrase, "the show must go on" applies here. Regardless of what happens, there is an audience out there waiting to be educated, informed or entertained, so you have to deliver. The that the fact that a live event is "live" makes it both easier and more difficult at the same time. There are no second takes. When something goes out live that shouldn't have, there are no take backs. So, when you're live you have to roll with it. That means when presenters are late or go off script, or when there's equipment failure, or a crew member calls in sick, or any unplanned situation you have to roll with it. When you're video recording, you can always "fix it in post." But the key is to keep a cool head, don't let them see you sweat and be a leader.

1st draft - 6/22/08
Final draft - 5/27/2012


Update 6/9/12: I forgot to mention how important it is to feed your crew. Bring snacks and plenty of water to keep their energy up, and be sure to budget crew meals on those long production days. That's the best way to keep them happy and on their toes.

Talkpoint Powers Enterprise Communications with Webcasting Solutions

It's been more than a decade since the Victoria’s Secret online fashion show became the first major webcast event with a record-breaking 1.5 million visitors worldwide. In 1999, an event of that proportion could not scale to support the audience size and necessary bandwidth requirements to provide a quality viewing experience on such a large scale. Nick Balletta, CEO of TalkPoint Communications remembers that webcast, and says that back then webcasting was more of a novelty with a poor end user experience. But today, webcasting for enterprise communications may finally be reaching a tipping point.

At Streaming Media East 2010, I spoke with Balletta about how his company powers enterprise communications with its webcasting and virtual meeting platform. New York-based TalkPoint Communications has been around since before 2000, and provides a browser-based Software as Services model (SaaS) for online meeting and presentations. The company is very active in the enterprise space with a global base of Fortune 1000 customers in the health care, pharmaceutical, life sciences, financial, technology and publishing markets. The original company was founded in 1997 as a joint project of Dow Jones Interactive and Microsoft desktop video and was previously known as NextVenue and later iBEAM. In 2001, iBeam launched TalkPoint as a web-based, self-publishing presentation product, the company later went private under the name TalkPoint.



Balletta says that Talkpoint's clients are most interested in using their large-scale global webcasting services, which incorporate audio, video, slides, and other interactive elements. These virtual events can be delivered as either an audio or video webcast, or webinar events for internal and external communications. Security and interactivity are important for Talkpoint customers, which Balletta maintains is Talkpoint's sweet spot.

Balletta summed up the value of webcasting for enterprise communications:

"We see webcasting more as a business tool, it's a workflow tool. Years ago it was something nice to do, now it's become a critical part of people's businesses – and now it's either driving revenues, supporting their brand, communicating with their different constituencies, whether they be shareholders, clients, employees – so it's clearly a business tool that's here to stay. We also see a trend to much more adoption of video – both at making it easier to view and easier to present. So we think video is something that's clearly going to be here for a long time."

See Balletta's related blog post: Is Corporate Use of Internet Broadcasting Approaching the Tipping Point? | TalkPoint Blog

Also, see The Webinar Blog: Web Conferencing Kicks Ash, for examples of how two Talkpoint customers used webcasting to reach stranded travelers.


About TalkPoint
TalkPoint provides Web-based audio and video Webcasting solutions that enable companies and organizations to communicate more effectively. TalkPoint's easy-to-use applications incorporate audio, video, slides, and other interactive elements to deliver high-impact presentations cost effectively. TalkPoint offers both self-service and full-service solutions.
For more information on TalkPoint, go to http://www.talkpointcommunications.com/

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