Sonic Foundry is Included as a Sample Vendor in Six Hype Cycles for 2010 by Leading Industry Analyst Firm

MADISON, Wis., August 31, 2010 - Sonic Foundry, Inc. (Nasdaq: SOFO), the recognized market leader for rich media webcasting and knowledge management, today announced that Gartner, the world's leading information technology research and advisory company, has included Sonic Foundry as a sample vendor in six Gartner Hype Cycles for 2010.

Sonic Foundry is included in the Hype Cycles for Education, High-Performance Workplace, Networking and Communications, Content Management, Emerging Technologies and Enterprise Information Management.

Gartner's Hype Cycle special report is an annual maturity assessment of more than 1,800 technologies and trends. The 2010 Special Report consists of 75 individual Hype Cycle reports, each of which gives a snapshot perspective of a key area of IT or business. Each Hype Cycle report contains an introduction that highlights key trends, such as advances in technological capabilities and changes in the provider marketplace.

This year Sonic Foundry has been selected a sample vendor for education; specifically lecture capture and retrieval tools. "Lecture capture and retrieval tools have tentatively been shown to have some effect on student grades and retention, and they promise to be important pedagogical tools," said Ron Bonig, Gartner research analyst in the report. "The ability to index lectures and the ability to offer playback of selected passages have proven key to these positive results."

"We believe being recognized by Gartner in six hype cycles is a testament to the worthiness of our long-term vision and the importance of our enterprise webcasting platform across all sectors. From students reviewing lectures online to Army generals briefing soldiers in the field, Mediasite is making it possible for individuals around the globe to communicate more effectively, work smarter and achieve better results," said Rimas Buinevicius, chairman and CEO of Sonic Foundry.

Since its introduction in 2003, Sonic Foundry's webcasting platform has set the standard for delivering exceptional instruction and sharing knowledge online. Trusted by educational institutions, corporations and government, the patented Mediasite webcasting and content management system automates the capture and management of multimedia presentations that combine audio, video and accompanying graphics for live or on-demand viewing.

About the Hype Cycle
The Hype Cycle is copyrighted 2010 by Gartner, Inc. and its affiliates and is reused with permission. Hype Cycles are graphical representations of the relative maturity of technologies, IT methodologies and management disciplines. They are intended solely as a research tool, and not as a specific guide to action. Gartner disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.