Webcast Group - Recent Press

WEBCAST GROUP, INC. ANNOUNCES SPRING 2009 COMMENCEMENT WEBCAST SPECIAL

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 07:20 GMT

Connecting Families With Their Graduates

Cleveland, Ohio, April 16, 2009 — Webcast Group, Inc.(www.webcastgroup.com) a leading provider in the webcasting industry has announced a Spring 2009 “Commencement Webcast Special”. The webcasting service offers high quality, affordable streams of your commencement ceremony's for those that can not attend this occasion in person, but want to watch it live.

“We understand that commencements are very joyous occasions to be a part of and want to make going to a commencement as easy as possible for those that may be unable to attend. That is why we created this Spring 2009 special, keeping families connected with our high quality services.” Said Ray Harris, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at the Webcast Group. “The high quality event webcasts that we produce are easy to use and literally only take a single click to access”.

The company has announced three packages starting at $695.

Details on the packages and a brochure are available at: http://www.webcastgroup.com/commencement-webcasting.asp

The $695 package (A) requires the client send an encoded stream to the company. Features include:
- Live 4 Hour Stream with 500 Viewers
- Custom branded player and landing page
- Viewer Technical Support
- 3 months of replay services

The $995 package (B) also requires the client to send an encoded stream and includes:
- Live 8 Hour Stream with 500 Viewers
- Guest book registration
- Viewer shout box (moderated)
- Detailed viewer reports

The $1995 package (C) includes an on-site producer to create the encoded stream and includes:
- Everything in $995 package (B) included
- On-site producer with encoding equipment
- Travel costs are extra

The company states that most live stream providers only deliver a stream URL and not a complete experience. The Webcast Group Galaxy platform is an integrated platform that combines commercial CDN streaming with Enterprise class web services wrapped around the stream to provide branding, registration, exit forms, polling and numerous other interactive capabilities.

To learn more about the Webcast Group's Spring 2009 Commencement specials, please visit our website

(http://www.webcastgroup.com/commencement-webcasting.asp). For more details or with questions please contact our sales team at: 440-673-7777.

About Webcast Group, Inc.

Webcast Group provides managed and semi-managed event webcasting and managed webinars built on their Galaxy webcasting platform. The Galaxy platform is an advanced web based application for the creation, management, replay and reporting of live webcasts. For more information on the Webcast Group, please visit us at: http://www.webcastgroup.com and “Go Green” with webcasting.

###

, , , , , , ,

WEBCAST GROUP, INC. ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF D.I.Y. (DO IT YOURSELF) WEBCASTING SERVICE

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 17:13 GMT

New D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) System Expanding Webcast Group's Offerings

Rocky River, Ohio- January 28, 2009 - Webcast Group, Inc.(www.webcastgroup.com) a leading provider in the webcasting industry today announced the launch of their new D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) system.

With the new service, Webcast Group has given their clients the ability to send an encoded feed directly to the Webcast Group system, with zero downloads and zero installations. Webcast Group’s clients are able to keep total control of their own webcast event in three easy steps:

Those steps include:
1. Send the Webcast Group your encoded stream.
2. Use the Webcast Group Platform to: Create. Control. Replay. Report. on your event.
3. Produce a high quality viewer experience.

While other companies offer self-serve products, their product pale in comparison to Webcast Group’s D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) system. The Webcast Group’s D.I. Y. (Do It Yourself) system encompasses all of the elements of their Create. Control. Replay. Report. webcasting model. Some of those features include:

- Fully customizable Registration and full Reporting system
- Player Branding
- Event Mangement
- Producer monitored
- Presenter Driven Control Room system for slides and audience Q&A
- Full Technical Support

“When using the new D.I.Y. system, you keep the managed look and feel that our clients have become so familiar with” said Shirley Shepherd, President of the Webcast Group. “We still provide our clients on the D.I.Y. system all the attention they have grown to expect and certainly deserve. We have carried over our entire product concept of our Create. Control. Replay. Report. platform with the bells and whistles.” Shepherd also said, “This new option advances the scope of Webcast Group's overall services. We are confident that our clients will reap considerable cost benefits without loosing any quality or reliability. In today’s economy, our D.Y.I. platform is a win-win and we see this as an exciting solution to numerous webcasting needs.”

The new D.I.Y. service starts at: $695 per event (prices vary based on length and the number of viewers). Elevate your webcasts with a quality and professional webcast event, at an affordable price by using the Webcast Group for your next event.
To request more information on the new D.I.Y. service, please contact the Webcast Group by emailing us at: sales@webcastgroup.com or call: 866-230-4639, we look forward to assisting you with your next event.

About Webcast Group, Inc.
Webcast Group is an innovative webcast and webinar service provider that fits the communication needs of companies and organizations large and small. Our managed services save clients time and money while delivering their events to a global audience. The Webcast Group offers an integrated system that incorporates: registration, reporting, branding and a 1 click launch technology. Webcast Group has produced thousands of successful webcasts and is unsurpassed in the industry. For more information on the Webcast Group, please visit us at: http://www.webcastgroup.com and “Go Green” with webcasting.
###

No Tags

WEBCAST GROUP, INC. ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH EDGECAST NETWORKS, INC.

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 09:20 GMT

Edgecast CDN Adding to the Superiority of the Webcast Group’s Services

Rocky River, Ohio- December 10, 2008 - Webcast Group, Inc.(www.webcastgroup.com) a leading provider in the webcasting industry is proud to announce their partnership with EdgeCast Networks (www.edgecast.com), the superior, cost-effective global content delivery service that gives their customers competitive advantage in the delivery of digital media. This partnership will allow Webcast Group the ability to serve a more global audience with their already superior fully managed webcast technology and services.

Webcast Group and Edgecast both wish to give clients a service advantage unprecedented in the industry. In webcasting - much like the CDN space -, clients and their viewers are the most important part of each event. The webcasts need to reach viewers all across the globe and give them all the same positive experience. With the Webcast Group’s choice to use the Edgecast CDN, with its global footprint, high speed streaming and content delivery service, viewers everywhere – whether in Sydney, Paris or Los Angeles – all will experience the same jitter-free video and crystal clear audio.

“Webcast Group’s partnership with Edgecast provides the reliability that is necessary when corporations depend on us to get their message out using our webcasting services” said Shaun Collins, vice president of information technology at the Webcast Group. “The EdgeCast partnership enables us to become more scalable and dependable and fits the needs of our growing list of clients and their viewers who depend on us to provide a seamless, positive process and always provide a stellar viewer experience. Our focus is on delivering perfect events” said Collins. “We are a leader within the industry of managed webcasts, and have a dependable track record that Edgecast adds to.”

The webcasting technology is a dependable way to get out your company’s message with minimal time and travel. With the combination of EdgeCast’s CDN and the Webcast Group’s services, viewers can:
- Participate from anywhere in the world
- Have a positive viewing experience
- Receive a more cost effective webcast solution
- Have multiple platform (Windows Media and Flash) compatibility

To learn more about the Webcast Group’s reliable webcasting services (www.webcastgroup.com) and EdgeCast’s (www.edgecast.com) cost-effective global content delivery services, please visit their websites.

About EdgeCast Networks, Inc.

EdgeCast offers a superior, cost-effective global content delivery service that gives our customers and partners competitive advantage in the delivery of digital media. Our world-class content delivery platform provides customers the cost benefits and flexibility of controlling their own content delivery network while freeing them from capital investments and operational hassles. To learn more, visit www.edgecast.com.

About Webcast Group, Inc.
Webcast Group is an innovative webcast and webinar service provider that fits the communication needs of companies and organizations large and small. Our managed services save clients time and money while delivering their events to a global audience. The Webcast Group offers an integrated system that incorporates: registration, reporting, branding and a 1 click launch technology. Webcast Group has produced thousands of successful webcasts and are unsurpassed in the industry. For more information on the Webcast Group, please visit us at: http://www.webcastgroup.com and “Go Green” with webcasting.

###

WEBCAST GROUP, INC. INTRODUCES NEW REGISTRATION SYSTEM

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:24 GMT

New Registration System Allows For Larger Customization and Enables In-Depth Reporting Capabilities

Rocky River, Ohio- August 4, 2008- Webcast Group, Inc. (www.webcastgroup.com) a leading provider in the webcasting industry has introduced their new state of the art registration system. The new system will allow Webcast Group clients to build a registration from the top down with a much wider array of customizable field options, validity tracking, and more in depth reporting capabilities then ever before!

Best practices in the industry drove the Webcast Group to develop the new system and registration builder, now available exclusively to Webcast Group clients. The new system is much more user-friendly and has many more customizing capabilities then other systems currently offered on the market. The new registration has come at a valuable time in today’s market place, as registrations have become a staple piece to any webcast, for not only gathering leads, but verifying employee and client attendance.

“The new registration system expands our services to a new level. The new system will enable our existing clientele to build registrations that have customized data validation, and automatic de-duping capabilities, which in turn will save the clients valuable time and resources.” says Ray Harris, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at the Webcast Group. “We have virtually given our past registration a massive make-over. The change started with the updated look and feel which has been developed into a much more attractive and appealing layout, while keeping the user-friendly capabilities that the Webcast Group has always offered.” The new look and feel that Harris talks about can be seen starting with the landing page for each event and working into the count-down page right before the webcast begins. These advancements will give the viewers of all webcasts on the system a much better viewer experience, something that has given Webcast Group a name in the industry.

Other benefits and features: customizable auto-response email set-up, customizable field selections (radio buttons, drop downs, opt-in check boxes and text area fields) and much more…

About Webcast Group, Inc.

Webcast Group is a unique application service provider who specializes in managed webcasting solutions. At the Webcast Group we help corporations, associations and consumer groups communicate more freely and effectively, using the Webcast Group’s state of the art webcasting tools and technologies. Webcast Group also offers an exclusive patent pending event management application system that works hand in hand with each webcast. We have the experience and knowledge you need to produce a successful event. Since our 1996 induction into the webcasting market we have produced thousands of live events and this has since made the Webcast Group unsurpassed in the industry. For more information on the Webcast Group’s webcasting services, please visit us at: http://www.webcastgroup.com or contact us at: 800-909-1209.

###

No Tags

Going Green with Webcasting

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:15 GMT

Saving the environment should be at the forefront of all businesses minds, as there is no better time then now to save the environment. The means of communication are continuously growing, expanding and changing, along with businesses. Why not consider the “greenest” most effective way of communicating and saving the environment at the same time, all the while cutting costs. So why not go green with webcasting?

You may be asking yourself how webcasting technology is green. While for one, there is no travel involved, you go nowhere but your very own office or home. Not stepping onto a plane, train, or into a car means less air pollution, more money saved, and less waste along the way. Of course, another perk to webcasting and saving the environment is that your are paperless. Keep things digital and dematerialized whenever possible to conserve. The more work you do online, the less paper you waste offline.

Lastly, spread the word; many people at your very own company may not know that the quarterly sales meeting they host could become virtual. This means no more travel expenses, print-outs, and angry travelers. Tell them to “Go Green” with webcasting to save time, money, and the environment!

No Tags

WEBCAST GROUP, INC. REFINES THE UNDERSTANDING OF STREAMING WEBINARS WITH THE RELEASE OF NEW WHITE PAPER

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:32 GMT

White Paper Exhibits an In-Depth Review on the Aspects Associated with Creating and Delivering an Online Webinar Using the Webcast Group

Rocky River, Ohio- August 1, 2008 - Webcast Group, Inc. (www.webcastgroup.com) a leading provider in the webcasting industry released a white paper on “Webcast Group, Inc. Streaming Webinars”. The white paper was designed to discuss the best approach to creating, planning and executing a high quality webinar while reaching a global audience using the Webcast Group’s services. The white paper helps mold a practical approach to implementing and understanding various technical and marketing issues involved in the webinar planning process.

The white paper opens with basic definitions on what type of events are best suited for a collaborative event such as a webinar delivered through the Webcast Group. The paper illustrates a step by step guide of Webcast Group offerings and options associated with each event, from start to finish, leaving nothing out, so you know exactly what to expect. The paper also includes information on:

-What you need to launch your webcast using the Webcast Group’s exclusive LaunchCode technology

-The easy to use Presenter Control Room

-The Viewer Experience

-Reporting Capabilities

-Archiving Options

“Using a unique step by step educational planning approach throughout the entire webinar planning process, the white paper outlines the seamless method that we take with each event that we produce. At the Webcast Group we make the process easy with our Event Management processes and our Client Login Area.” stated Carrolyn Salazar, Event Coordination Director at the Webcast Group, Inc. “In the webcasting industry it is important to consistently turn around a dependable and high quality product in which your clients understand and become accustomed to. The white paper exhibits the processes that we always use to plan each and every event from beginning to end while holding the clients hand throughout the entire process, not just once, but always.” said Salazar.

The white paper shows the Webcast Group’s honesty and commitment to their clients through outlining each step from the event creation, through to the live event and archival. The white paper gives a solid understanding on webinars versus web conferences and managed versus self-serve. All in which are important to understand before your production.

Everyday the Webcast Group team strives to help not only their clients, but anyone who is trying to learn more about webinars and how they work. The Webcast Group helps educate anyone they touch that the most important aspect of any webinar is to create events that prove to communicate insight and commentary on today’s business matters.

To request a digital version of the white paper, please write to sales@webcastgroup.com or call: 800-909-1209.

About Webcast Group, Inc.

###

No Tags

Podcasting - Business vs. Consumer

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 21:36 GMT

Podcasting is on fire. Audio podcasts are relatively easy to create and number in the tens of thousands. Video podcasts number in the tens or maybe hundreds. However, given time we can expect the market to drive both demand and content creation for both the audio and video versions of this communication tool.

Consumers love their podcasts and business people are also starting to use podcasting. But there are some very significant issues with podcasting that need to be addressed before this tool enjoys success in the business community. Let’s start by understanding a consumer podcast.

Consumer Podcasting

In a consumer podcast, content is created and the content owner looks for the largest possible audience. The content owner hopes to draw a huge audience, sell advertising and make money. This is, more or less, a shotgun approach and it has some serious flaws.

Bandwidth. When a consumer subscribes to a podcast feed, the typical experience is that the consumer automatically receives each new podcast file from the content creator to whom the consumer subscribed. The consumer gets this file even if they do not want it, thus the delivery of the file uses bandwidth which is charged to the content creator. More than one content creator has had to increase their hosting plan and pay for excess bandwidth due to becoming “popular”.

Tracking. Advertisers currently have no way to track who watches a given podcast so they are unable to calculate a return on their advertising dollar investment. This is similar to the old days of web advertising where banners were sold by the impressions (now days they are sold by the click and each click is tracked and evaluated).

As a result of spiraling bandwidth costs and no real advertising tracking, many content creators are feeling the financial pain of becoming too popular. However, necessity is the mother of invention, so there is little doubt that a solution will arise soon that will make the tracking of a podcast more palatable to advertisers, and thereby remove the barrier keeping many companies from advertising inside of a podcast.

Business Podcasts

Business communication is all about delivering a message to a targeted audience (prospect, client, employee, stock holder, etc.). Business communication is all about creating sales leads, training, informing and gather data. The current podcasting method which offers no tracking and unlimited bandwidth (and cost) is not going to be very attractive to the marketing savvy business person.

Webcast Group has come up with an elegant, simple and effective solution for the business podcaster. Our new business podcast service creates a system that gives business owners a way to gather data on each viewer while offering the viewer the ability to download a podcast or watch a streaming version in real time.

Registration and reporting. We have created a podcast delivery system that adds a registration system in front of each download. This lets business owners gather data prior to spending money on download bandwidth.

Bandwidth control. We built our system to allow for podcasts to be hosted on our servers, our clients servers or any server. This separates the bandwidth cost from the data gathering and reporting activities. Our clients are able to shop for the lowest cost download bandwidth while still enjoying our data gathering and reporting service.

Reports. We provide detailed reports (based upon reg form data). These reports are updated in real time and are available 24 hours a day.

So, there you have a brief overview of business podcasting versus consumer podcasting. Like always feel free to comment.

audio webcast, business communication, event registration, podcasts, webcasts