Jump to... Planning Scheduling What do I need Content After the webcast

How much time do I need to plan a webcast?
Webcast production can be completed in as few as two days. This option is typically reserved for presenters who: have presentation slides ready to go, have a pre-existing audience and elect to broadcast from our facility.

For first time webcast presenters, we generally structure in more time for planning–3 to 4 weeks. This allows us to gradually introduce you to the process, help you finalize your presentation and help you generate your audience. If you chose to broadcast from your office or meeting venue, this time allows our remote deployment team to complete connectivity testing and make any necessary configurations.

Typically the more webcasts you’ve done with us as a client the more comfortable you’ll become with a quicker turnaround.

Who do I contact to schedule a webcast?
For information on scheduling a webcast, you can call 866/615-3383 and ask to speak to webcast planner.

How do I notify my prospective participants?
As part of our standard webcast package we include an email announcement to your prospective participants. Just provide us with your email list and we take care of the rest.

How many people can logon to a live webcast?
A live broadcast will support 500 simultaneous users.

How do my participants access the webcast?
Once your participants have been notified of your webcast they are directed to an online registration page. This page contains simple, step-by-step instructions on how login to the webcast.

The process is simple: 1. Register, 2. Ready Check, 3. Go!

Participants fill out a quick online registration form and immediately receive an email confirmation.

First time webcast participants are encouraged to take our automated Ready Check, which runs an instant diagnostic on their computer to ensure it has all the necessary software to participate. If something is missing, the system provides users with links to download the free software.

Once they’ve passed the Ready Check, all that’s left to do is visit the registration page again, just minutes prior to the scheduled start time, and click the “go” button to login to the webcast.

What type of software is required for my participants?
Our webcast solution works with a standard web browser and the Windows Media Player plugin, which is commonly found on most computers. If neither the browser or plugin exists on the computer, both are free and can be downloaded and installed within a matter of minutes.

What type of hardware is required for my participants?
Hardware requirements for participants are fairly minimal. PC users will need a Pentium 166 or higher, 32 MB of RAM, a 16-bit soundcard, a 256-color video card and at least a 56K modem.
Macintosh users will need an Power Mac 8500 or higher, OS 8 or later, 16-bit soundcard, 256-color monitor and a minimum 56K internet connection.

What type of bandwidth do my participants need?
Our live and on-demand webcasts are offered with a modem and broadband connection option. Our modem connection option provides a slightly lower video frame rate and delivers an optimal viewing experience to those with 56K connections. Our broadband option offers higher quality video providing a premier experience for participants with Cable, DSL, T1 and higher connections.

Where can I broadcast from?
A video webcast can be broadcast either from our studio in Orange County, California, or on location from your office, conference or meeting venue. On location production requires adequate internet connectivity to handle the outgoing media streams–a T1 connection or higher. Most hotels, convention centers and modern offices are equipped with such connections. If appropriate connectivity does not exist, it can typically be put in place, if it falls within your budget and sufficient time is available for installation–3 to 4 weeks.

If you wish to do an audio only webcast, your presenter can simply phone into our hotline from their office and we can patch the audio through into the webcast. This saves your presenter and our remote team from ever having to leave the office.

What does the participant’s webcast display look like?
Participants will be viewing a webcasting interface divided into four sections. The upper right hand window contains the streaming video feed. To the left, a large graphic window holds speaker support slides that are synchronized to the presentation. Below the graphic window is the forum. The forum highlights all audience questions that have been publicly answered by online panel members. A tab next to the forum allows viewers to access to all the graphic slides in the presentation. Here, they can call up any slide they wish for further review or to print. Below the video window is the messaging center. This is where participants send and receive messages from presenters, vote in polls and view the presentation agenda.

How is the audio handled?
Your online webcast participants will hear the program audio right through their computer’s speakers. There is no need for them to call in via telephone to a conference call number. If it is determined that a large portion of you audience may not have access to computers configured with speakers, a conference phone in option can be made available for an additional fee.

Are moderators located in the same room with the presenter?
If moderators or online panel members are on-site, they are typically located outside of the room the presenter is in. This allows them to openly discuss any questions that come in from the audience without disrupting the presentation. Often moderators and panel members do not travel to the broadcast location. They simply login to an administrator page from their home or office, much like an online participant. They can be assigned questions and answer them with text messages. This allows clients to assemble a strong panel of experts without having to break them away from their daily responsibilities to participate.

Who provides content?
All content is provided by the client. Content generally consists of a PowerPoint presentation and any additional links or resources the client would like to make available to participants. We are able to provide graphic and content support for clients who wish to choose these additional services. As part of every webcast we will provide you with advice on how to structure your presentation in order to best take advantage of this unique online medium and all of its interactive features.

Who prepares the PowerPoint presentation?
In our standard package, clients submit a completed PowerPoint presentation that is ready to go live with. We then take this final file and convert it into a graphic format that fits within the webcast interface. Some clients may elect to choose the additional services we provide to help them assemble their PowerPoint presentation. This generally consists of graphic support and additional production work that takes place in the weeks and days prior to the webcast. This additional service is not included in our standard package but some clients find it to be a beneficial add-on.

How long before the broadcast does CTM require content?
Presentation content is required a minimum of three working days prior to the webcast. All PowerPoint files are converted to a graphic format that will be contained within the webcast interface. Receiving this content early ensures that ample time is allowed in case your file requires special attention.

Can I rehearse? Where?
Yes. We recommend and structure a rehearsal in for each webcast. Rehearsals generally will take place a few hours before your live webcast. This is a full rehearsal in front of the cameras. If you require additional rehearsal of your presentation it is typically done in the days prior to the webcast, off camera, or outside of the studio.

How do the participants ask questions of the presenter?
Participants are able to ask question via a text messaging feature. They simply create a subject for their message and enter their question, then click send just as if sending an email. The message is received by an online panel member who can either return a response with a text message, or pass the question along to the on-camera presenter to be answered on air.

Who supplies the presenter with the questions?
All messages that come in from the audience are filtered by a client appointed content expert. This individual maintains primary responsibility for the manner in which each question is handled. Each message can be answered in one of three ways: verbally by the on camera presenter, via an instant text message from an online panel member, or in cases when a question can’t be answered immediately, they can be held for post session follow up via email. If the message is assigned to the on-camera presenter it appears on a monitor before them that they view to remain updated on the program status.

How do the surveys and audience responses work?
In addition to messaging functionality our webcasts allow you to poll your audience and have them participate in surveys. In the example of a poll, during a live webcast, you can release a poll to the audience. The poll appears on the screen of all the participants. As they vote, results are immediately tabulated. The result summaries are then displayed in the participant’s poll window, and they can be announced by the live presenter.

Surveys are generally completed at the conclusion of the live webcast. Surveys allow you to ask more in depth questions than polls and are best used at the conclusion so as not to provide a lengthy distraction from your presentation. Surveys can also remain active for your webcast archive so you can continue to monitor participant feedback even after your live webcast.

All survey and poll results are saved and are accessible through our Client Gateway management screens.

When do I receive management reports?
Through our Client Gateway screens you have 24x7 access to all your webcast reports and statistics. From these password protected pages you can monitor how many people have registered for your webcast in the days leading up to it. You’ll have instant access to reports on live attendance, on-demand attendance, a record of all audience messages from the live webcast as well as on-going survey results. This information can be easily saved and imported into programs, such as Excel, for your record or reporting needs. Access to the Client Gateway is included with every webcast package.

How long is a normal webcast?
Most webcasts are delivered in one-hour segments. This is fairly comfortable time for participants to be sitting attentive in front of their computer. For webcasts that must run much longer, breaks are generally structured in at 1 or 1-1/2hour intervals to allow participants to step away and return refreshed.

How is the webcast archived?
All the video from the live webcast is saved. It is then synched with the slides at the exact points they were displayed during the live webcast. We then index the presentation and provide links that will allow viewer to jump to key sections when they view the archive. All messages and poll results are saved within the interface so viewers can see the questions and answers that took place during the live event. All archive attendance is monitored so a client can keep track of participation over time.

Who owns the archived information?
As a client you own the content of the archive and can determine who can and cannot view it. The archive content itself will reside on our servers and is hosted as part of your contract. A master copy of your presentation can be provided on CD-ROM; however, this is not included in the standard webcast package.

How much does a webcast cost?
The cost of each webcast can vary. Price is determined by a number of factors including audience size, broadcast location, studio vs. remote venue etc. Our webcasts are optimal for groups between 50 and 500. The cost of a webcast will offer a tremendous cost savings over bringing a group of this size together in person.