Study Shows Enterprises Improve Communication and Realize Competitive Business Advantage with Rich Media

MADISON, WI — MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO:
Steve Vonder Haar, research director, Interactive Media Strategies, provides research and consulting services to companies involved in the communications, collaboration and media distribution chains.

Steve Geishirt, director of training, Parts Now!
Parts Now! LLC is an international distributor of new and refurbished computer printer parts, whole-unit printers and component-level repairs for Hewlett-Packard, Lexmark and Canon U.S.A. printers. Parts Now! has been using Sonic Foundry's Mediasite rich media communication system to offer a series of classes throughout the year that educate technicians on specific printer models and the techniques needed to address common repair issues. Mediasite has become an essential tool to educate and inform their service technicians.


WHAT:
Rich media communications melds online audio and video with computer-driven visual aids to produce engaging web presentations. For leading enterprises, rich media is emerging as a cornerstone of next-generation communication, helping these organizations realize a significant business advantage.

This webinar will offer insights on how corporate executives use rich media technology to gain productivity improvements as well as a competitive edge in the marketplace. Participants will learn about webcasting's impact on business communications from companies actively using the technology. In addition, participants will explore the ways rich media is used in day-to-day business communication and how to justify investment in web communications technology.

The presentation will include quantifiable results from Interactive Media Strategies' recent Rich Media at Work survey, which profiled deployment, use and perceptions of rich media among executives at nearly 700 companies producing at least 10 online multimedia events annually. Parts Now! executive Steve Geishirt will discuss how his company is using rich media to draw hundreds of customers to its training sessions.
Key findings that will be shared include:

• Nine out of 10 executives at companies frequently deploying rich media describe the technology as an effective communications tool
  
• When determiningthe ROI of rich media technology investments, survey participants cite more efficient use of executive's time as the top ROI factor
  
• Companies are increasingly witnessing firsthand the corporate value of rich media and 56% of survey respondents are planning to increase their budgets for rich media in the coming year

The webinar is sponsored by Sonic Foundry, a technology leader in enterprise rich media solutions and services. The company's integrated webcasting and web presentation platform, Mediasite, is a transformational communication medium for delivering critical information and sharing knowledge. Sonic Foundry is changing the way organizations communicate via the web and how people around the globe receive vital information needed for work, professional advancement, safety and education. Mediasite is trusted by Fortune 500 companies, education institutions and government agencies for a variety of critical communication needs. The company's roster includes American Family Insurance, Centers for Disease Control, Lockheed Martin and Sandia National Laboratories.

WHEN:
Thursday, May 4, 2006
12 - 1 p.m. Central