FAIRFAX, VA--- The International Communications Industries Association, Inc. (ICIA) has announced a unique program of events, in-depth courses and other activities showcasing new and emerging streaming media technologies at the InfoComm Conference and Exhibition at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, June 5-11, 2004. InfoComm is the premier business-to-business conference and exhibition for the audiovisual (AV) communications and systems integration industry.
Highlights of InfoComm's streaming media activities include an information-packed Streaming Media/AV Production Pavilion on the exhibit floor, a series of dedicated courses by ICIA's Institute for Professional Development and InfoComm Academy, and the tradeshow debut of InfoComm Academy's new OnDemand Webcasting educational service.
"We're pleased to see that the level of support and interest in the InfoComm community for streaming media technologies continues to grow," said ICIA Executive Director Randal A. Lemke, Ph.D. "Streaming media technologies and tools are increasingly important, and we welcome the opportunity to help establish this sector even more firmly in the AV communications mainstream."
Now in its second year, following a sold-out debut last year at InfoComm '03, the Streaming Media/AV Production Pavilion reflects a growing worldwide interest in using the Internet to distribute video footage. The Pavilion will feature a comprehensive array of products, services and technologies within the streaming media and presentation markets, many shown or demonstrated by the Pavilion's sponsors.
Pavilion sponsors include ICIA's media partner PRIMEDIA Business Magazines & Media, Inc., publisher of numerous industry technology magazines, including Video Systems, Sound & Video Contractor, and Staging Rental Operations (SRO); Interactive Video Technology, a leading provider of enterprise-scale software that enables the creation, management, deployment and measurement of live and on-demand e-communication presentations; Sonic Foundry, a provider of award-winning rich media solutions including Mediasite (formerly Mediasite Live), a room-based recording system that automates the capture, synchronization and streaming of multimedia presentations; VBrick Systems, which provides live streaming and video-on-demand solutions to schools, corporations and government agencies; and Video Bank, a software development company that focuses on media asset management.
Along with exhibits, the Pavilion will host several hour-long panel discussions covering key trends and technologies in streaming media. Open to attendees free of charge, the sessions will cover:
* Distance Learning
* Desktop Webcasting
* Video Production Processes
* Streaming Live Events
* Network Fundamentals
* Streaming Challenges and Pitfalls
* Webcasting vs. Webconferencing
* Corporate Streaming Strategies
* Creating Rich Media Presentations
PRIMEDIA editor and industry veteran Stephen Porter will moderate. Speakers at the panels will include Paul Barnett, President and co-founder of iShow.com, a leading provider of live and on-demand Internet broadcast solutions for event managers, government agencies, associations and corporations; Tom Bunzel, a highly regarded consultant and instructor, also known as Professor PowerPoint, and author of several books, including Digital Video on the PC; and Peggy Miles, President and founder of Intervox Communications, a broadcast-business development, research and consulting company and pioneer in the areas of digital media, streaming and interactive broadcasting. Miles is also founder of the International Webcasting Association and author of several books, including the bestselling Internet Age Broadcaster 1 and 2. More detail is available at http://streaming.videosystems.com.
The Pavilion will also be home to the InfoComm ICTV Studio, which will produce and broadcast a daily streaming media news and information program, and allow visitors to see how professional Webcasting operates. ICTV programs will also appear on the Web, in official InfoComm hotel rooms and on plasma screens throughout the show floor. ICTV is brought to the show by iShow.com.
Reflecting streaming media's growing significance in conducting business-to-business communications and presentations, ICIA's Institute for Professional Development (IPD) will hold a full-day course covering the subject's fundamentals on June 5, 6 and 7, 8 a.m. to 5 PM, led by Scott R. Sharer, CTS, BA, MFA. The intensive course, Streaming, is designed to enable Integrators and technology-savvy end users to develop, specify, implement and utilize streaming technologies and solutions. The class will combine theory and discussion with hands-on testing of various streaming media components.
In addition, ICIA's InfoComm Academy will offer a series of two-hour courses, June 9-11, covering key streaming media issues. These include designing the next generation of presentation facilities, incorporating video streaming in an overall collaboration strategy, video production techniques for streaming, streaming video communications efficiently and economically, using streaming video for corporate events, online rich media communication systems, and encoding, authoring, and serving streaming media.
InfoComm 2004 also will provide one of the first opportunities for the InfoComm Academy to gather significant content for its new online education and training program. Sponsored by Sonic Foundryä, InfoComm Academy OnDemand is designed to make curriculum materials typically taught during onsite seminars available via the Web, reaching a broader base of students more conveniently. At InfoComm, OnDemand will capture portions of the show's 90-plus seminars, complete with the audio and video of the presenter and all collateral materials, such as PowerPoint slides, for later Webcasting.
Sonic Foundry is a leading rich media solutions company specializing in technologies for content creation, distribution and management. OnDemand employs its newest product, Mediasiteä, a complete rich media communication system for distributed presentations and distance learning. Designed for non-technical users, Mediasite provides a simple and cost-effective way to record and share instructor-led presentations beyond the classroom walls.
Further details about streaming media opportunities at InfoComm '04 are available at www.infocomm.org.
About ICIA
The International Communications Industries Association, Inc. (ICIA) is the premier trade association for the professional audiovisual communications industry. ICIA is the founder of InfoComm, the conference and trade exposition for audiovisual communications professionals who come to learn about the latest technologies and available services as well as new and alternative applications. ICIA also co-founded with CEDIA and NSCA the Integrated Systems Events in Europe, China and Singapore. ICIA serves its worldwide membership as the pre-eminent provider of education, training and certification. More information is available at www.infocomm.org.