Webcasting

Civic Participation
Webcasting Guidebook
First Edition
Published by the International Centre of Excelence for Local

eDemocracy, Uniteed Kingdom © 2007
www.icele.org
About this guidebook
This guide has been complied from a number of sources including

industry experts on webcasting with a particular focus on civic
participation. Many of the examples are based on the experiences of
a government backed pilot into webcasting in the public sector.
The International Centre of Excellence for Local eDemocracy (ICELE)

has a number of resources for Local Authorities around good practice
in eDemocracy and is a continuation of the UK government funded
Local eDemocracy National Project.
This guide provides advice for civic leaders and councils regarding
best practice in relation to the subject matter.
ICELE would like to thank a number of people for their contributions to

this guide:-
Catherine Howe: Public-i

RSe consulting
North East Connects
Ian Franklyn: Multimedia Strategies
Lorraine Trenchard: London Borough of Lewisham
Fraser Henderson, Lichfield District Councill
Preface
Video is just one of the technologies whose use is massively on the
increase on many websites as a result of the rapid increases in
broadband take-up. Local authorities who are using video are finding
that it matches many people’s preferences in terms of the format of
information and creates new and engaging ways of communicating
with the public.
Webcasting is broadcasting video over the Internet. In a local authority

context, it usually means broadcasting council meetings, although
increasingly councils are using it to provide coverage of civic events
and to convey public service messages. Viewers can watch meetings
online, like a television broadcast, through their computer, either live
or on demand at another more convenient time.
Webcasts can be edited and can have additional information and

functionality added, for example a meeting can be indexed by agenda
item so that the viewer can choose to only watch sections that they’re
interested in. Useful information can be displayed alongside the
broadcast window, such as relevant reports or presentations, or links
to information on the people speaking. Live meetings can be run so
that online viewers can type in real-time comments which are sent to
the Council.
Webcasting is the most effective way of distributing video to website

users. In simple terms it is the broadcast of audio and video over the
internet. Unlike a web-cam it provides a moving image with
synchronised audio and video. Webcasts can be produced in such a
way as to enable viewers with older, dial-up internet connections to
view them – however picture quality is largely dependent on the speed
of the recipients’ internet connection so viewers with a better
connection will see better results.
As a well established technology webcasting software and hardware is

now accessible and useable for most people and does not require
specialist technicians to capture the webcast content. There are,
however, many different ways in which you may want to go about
webcasting. Like most eDemocracy projects there are as many non-
technical as technical project considerations to think about.
Past local authority experiences provide some guidance as to the best
ways of using this technology as an effective communication tool.
This guide shares that good practice.
Contents
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION TO WEBCASTING......................1
Barriers to entry ...............................................................................2
Lack of understanding................................................................2
Cost...........................................................................................3
Response from the public ..........................................................4
Accessibility ...............................................................................4
Connectivity ...............................................................................4
Network infrastructure ................................................................5
Firewalls ....................................................................................5
Video pluggins ...........................................................................5
CODECs ...................................................................................5
User based barriers to entry ............................................................6
Technical literacty ......................................................................6

Special Needs ...........................................................................6
Resources .................................................................................6
Risk ...........................................................................................6
Webcasting ownership ...............................................................7
Inter-departmental coordination .................................................7
Transparent government ............................................................7
Early considerations ........................................................................8
Ease of use ...............................................................................8

Accessibility ...............................................................................8
Adaptability ................................................................................9
Interactivity ................................................................................9
Network issues and bandwidth................................................. 10
Security ................................................................................... 10
Content.................................................................................... 10
Management and support ........................................................ 11
Cost......................................................................................... 12
Features .................................................................................. 12
Benefits .......................................................................................... 15
Types of webcasts ......................................................................... 17
Chamber meetings / Committee meetings................................ 18

General public announcements................................................ 18
Public enquiries ....................................................................... 18
Online surgeries ...................................................................... 19
Promoting council and public services...................................... 19
Weddings and civil ceremonies ................................................ 20
Internal council communications .............................................. 20
Online learning ........................................................................ 21
Community service and minority groups ................................... 21
For profit by renting services at conferences ............................ 21
Staff & resource ....................................................................... 22
Getting support ........................................................................ 23
Is there a business case? ........................................................ 24
CHAPTER TWO: BUILDING A STRATEGY .................................... 25
Steps to adoption..................................................................... 26
Content Strategy...................................................................... 28
Strategy Workflow.......................................................................... 30
CHAPTER THREE: INTRODUCTION TO THE TECHNOLOGY....... 39
What is the webcasting process? ............................................. 40

Audio only ............................................................................... 40
Video only ............................................................................... 41
Audio and Video interactive multimedia webcasts .................... 42
The webcasting process ................................................................ 43
The webcast player.................................................................. 45
CHAPTER FOUR: WEBCASTING FORMAL MEETINGS................ 48
Meeting Organisers ................................................................. 50

Meeting Participants ................................................................ 50
Meeting Chairs ........................................................................ 52
Meeting Audience .................................................................... 54
CHAPTER FIVE: WEBCASTING FROM THE COMMUNITY ........... 55

CHAPTER SIX: WEBCASTING CLIPS AND BRIEFINGS ............... 58
Briefings from the Leader or Chief Executive............................ 59

Consultation process support ................................................... 60
Introductions from key staff ...................................................... 60
Content creation ...................................................................... 60
The stickines factor .................................................................. 61
CHAPTER SEVEN: EVALUATION .................................................. 64
Improvement ........................................................................... 65
Statistics .................................................................................. 66
Registration ............................................................................. 67
Audience satisfaction ............................................................... 68
Making use of the statistics ...................................................... 68
CHAPTER EIGHT: ENGAGING THE PUBLIC ................................. 69
Marketing ................................................................................ 70
Calls to action .......................................................................... 71
CHAPTER NINE: VIEWING AND TROUBLESHOOTING ................ 72
Viewing the output ................................................................... 73

System Checker ...................................................................... 75
CHAPTER TEN: PORTABLE SOLUTIONS ..................................... 77
Lewisham Webcasting Project Objectives ................................ 78
APPENDIX ONE: Further Reading ................................................. 79
Documents .............................................................................. 79
Title ......................................................................................... 79
Author ..................................................................................... 79
Location................................................................................... 79
Websites ................................................................................. 80
Title ......................................................................................... 80
Description .............................................................................. 80
Location................................................................................... 80
APPENDIX TWO: Detailed checklists ............................................ 81
Deciding to webcast ................................................................. 82

Is the content suitable? ............................................................ 82
Is there a budget available? ..................................................... 83
Appointing a supplier ............................................................... 83
The Venue: General Assesment .............................................. 85
Is there sufficient connectivity on-site? ..................................... 86
Is there sufficient power available? .......................................... 87
Is the lighting suitable? ............................................................ 88
How will audio be provided? .................................................... 89
Is there adequate access to the venue? ................................... 90
Identifying the audience ................................................................ 91
Has the potential audience been identified? ............................. 91
Before the webcast ........................................................................ 92
Marketing the webcast ............................................................. 92

Define the project team ............................................................ 93
Setting-up feedback routes ...................................................... 94
Preparing materials.................................................................. 95
Agree room layout ................................................................... 96
Setting up at the venue .................................................................. 97
List of equipment at the event .................................................. 97

Data protection / Legal issues .................................................. 98
Managing the webcast ............................................................. 99
Setting-up for the remote viewing ........................................... 100
Preparing the venue .............................................................. 102
During the event........................................................................... 103
Communication protocols....................................................... 103

Monitoring during the webcast ............................................... 104
Contingency plan for connection problems ............................. 105
After the webcast ......................................................................... 107
Follow-up after the event ....................................................... 107
Pre-event test plans ..................................................................... 108
Webcast event ....................................................................... 108

Remote viewing ..................................................................... 109
APPENDIX THREE: Webcasting protocol from Croydon ........... 110

INTRODUCTION TO WEBCASTING
Webcasting is a way of delivering recorded and/or live audio and video

content over a network (usually the internet or intranet). Live events
are broadcast to online users as they happen in ‘real time’. After the
event the content can be made available for access at anytime as ‘on-
demand’ webcasts. Content can also be pre-recorded and webcast ‘as
live’. This happens frequently on public radio when a DJ will pre-
record a session and then it is presented as a live broadcast.
This is a useful technique when clients need to rehearse presentations

or edit content.
An advantage of webcasting over other broadcast techniques is the

fact that graphics and text can be synchronised to video and audio.
This increases understanding through visual representation while
increasing accessibility for Special Needs users by allowing captions
and transcripts to be synchronised alongside the media.
Webcasting is also interactive, with users typically sending in

comments and questions via a text tool of some kind. It is also
possible to connect standard communication tools, such as webcams,
Voice-over-IP, Video Conference Systems, and telephone hubs to a
webcast system so that the audience and event contributors can
participate in the webcast from a remote location.
In essence, webcasting is both a broadcast tool as well as a point to

point communication tool.
1
Barriers to entry
The aim of this section is to outline obstacles that prevent councils
from adopting webcasting as a strategy for e-democracy.
Lack of understanding
There is a common misconception that webcasting is simply TV on the
internet. This misconception has been very damaging to webcasting
because as a result, users are disappointed with quality and many of
the interactive multimedia attributes of webcasting are ignored.
Webcasting is one-to-one or one-to-many, interactive tool. It allows
any producer to create and broadcast content to any consumer who
has internet connection in real time. This content can be as simple as
an audio narrative or as complex as a video presentation complete
with synchronised graphics, multiple choice questions and instant
chat. It is one of the few methods of communication that combines
compelling multimedia delivery with real time exchange of information.
When developing a webcasting strategy, consider the use of multiple

media; the ability for the audience to participate through questions,
comment and voting; the re-use of ‘shelved’ content and pre-recorded
content; and the effectiveness of real time communication with an
online audience. The combination of interactivity, live delivery and
multimedia makes webcasting a very powerful weapon in any council’s
communication armoury. See the document ‘The role of webcasting
within councils’ for more information about webcasting application.
In order to improve webcasting understanding and to encourage its

inclusion in strategic planning, a council can take a number of steps:
1. Circulate a short ‘Introduction to Webcasting’ document to all

departments, focusing on key attributes. An example can be
found in Document 6 of this adoption package.
2. Invite a webcasting provider to come in to present to those

who have expressed an interest in webcasting. Most
webcasting companies would do this for free and so it’s a
good way to get hands on feel for how webcasting works,
what it costs and how it could be used within the council.
2
3. Do a trial webcast either by leasing DIY equipment or have a

third party contractor produce a webcast for you. It’s a good
idea to get involved with every step, shadowing the contractor
to see what is involved, how issues are overcome and just
how all elements come together
Cost
Councils often site cost as being a primary reason for not adopting
webcasting. A simple numbers exercise shows that a fairly modest,
but imaginative application of webcasting leads to a low cost method
for involving the public in council affairs and services.
Webcasts can be produced in-house using special ‘DIY’ systems or

contracted to a specialist webcasting company. So the first concern is
deciding which option to invest in. The cost of a contracted, multi-
camera live webcast is often in the region of £3,000 - £6,000 per
event, depending on needs. If 500 users participate in a key online
event, the average cost per user is £6-12.
For those councils wishing to webcast on a more frequent basis, the

only realistic option is to invest in a DIY solution and use it as much as
possible. The cost of a DIY webcasting system is in the region of
£15,000 - £20,000 per annum, depending on AV requirements.
A council’s first year webcasts could be as follows:
§ 5 key events per year with a total annual audience of 2,500
§ 30 committee meetings per year with an annual audience of

1,500
§ 100 miscellaneous webcasts (workshops, announcements,

meetings, and presentations etc) per year with a total annual
audience of 5,000
The total number of users would be approximately 9,000 a year.
3
Based on the average cost of a contracted webcast, this would cost

between £54,000 and £108,000 per year. By adopting a DIY solution,
the costs are fixed at £15,000 - £20,000 giving an average webcast
cost of £1.60 to £2.20 per user.
Response from the public

All too often, local authorities’ site poor take up from the public as
being a reason why they do not webcast. In the vast majority of cases
this is because marketing is poor or non-existent.
Many members of the public don’t even know what webcasting is so it

is little wonder there are so few viewers to most webcasts. For a
surprising number of councils, it was necessary to type ‘webcast’ into
the search engine to find webcast. Without mention of why the public
should attend, what benefits they can expect and how they can
participate, it is little wonder that viewing figures are low.
Good take up of a Webcasting solution will require marketing – both

through the website and ‘non-e’ channels such as posters and bills.
Accessibility
As demonstrated in the previous section, webcasting can only be
justified if the public and employees view the webcasts. All too often,
users are unable to access webcasts and consequently, the viewing
figures are low, the average production costs are high, and the
justification for not webcasting is confirmed. Therefore, one of the
primary barriers to overcome is accessibility and this can be divided
into Technical Accessibility and User Accessibility.
Connectivity
If there is not enough bandwidth from the broadcast venue or on the
user’s own internet connection, the video quality will be very poor and
the end user will stop viewing. If the connection is unreliable or
contended (such as ADSL), the line may drop out and the webcast will
be lost.
4
Network infrastructure
Most IT departments are anti-webcasting as they feel too much
bandwidth is consumed and viewers on the council network could
watch and download inappropriate content. Therefore, IT departments
often block webcasts.
Private networks use dynamic IP addresses which are constantly

changing. A webcasting system uses and encoding computer which
must connect to servers on the public domain. Network configurations
often prevent the server from ‘seeing’ the encoder and therefore a
connection cannot be established.
Firewalls
If the end user is behind a firewall, the video stream could be blocked,
thus preventing the user from accessing the webcast.
Video pluggins
In order to watch a webcast, a user needs to have a media player
installed on the computer. The most common media players include
Real Media Player and Windows Media Player.
CODECs
Webcasts are compressed files that need to be ‘decompressed’ for
playback. This ‘decompression’ takes place at the Media Player. If the
original video has been compressed using new CODECs, and the
Media Player on the user’s computer is using old CODECs, the Media
Player automatically tries to install the latest CODECs from the
internet so that the video file will play. If the user if on a Apple and/or
behind a firewall, this may not be possible and access to the webcast
is denied.
5
User based barriers to entry

Technical literacty
Many users of the internet are now familiar with webcasting, but for
those who have never watched a webcast before, this can be a
daunting challenge. In most cases these days, the user simply has to
click on a ‘watch webcast’ link. But if the user has a technical issue
(see above), unless they are reasonably confident about installing a
plug in, or amending a firewall, they simply do not gain access to the
webcast.
Special Needs
As outlined in the Disabilities Discrimination Act (DDA), all ‘reasonable
effort’ must be made to make content accessible to those with special
needs. Although this is perfectly achievable using modern webcasting
technologies, many councils who have top accessibility ratings are
disinclined to add webcasts to their websites because they feel it an
‘accessibility’ minefield.
Resources
Many councils’ feel that webcasting is resource intensive because it
takes a great deal of time and money to prepare, produce and
manage webcasting. This is one of the primary reasons for councils
outsourcing webcasts rather then producing them in-house. For those
considering a DIY solution, at least 2 people need to know how to
operate the webcasting system. This can place a burden on personnel
as well as budget.
Risk
Many implementers have experienced or witnessed considerable
issues related to webcasts. Common issues include poor broadcast
quality, complete broadcast drop out as a result of network failure,
poor sound engineering, inability to synchronise PowerPoint slides,
inability for the audience to access the webcast to name a few. As
webcasting is live, involves key stakeholders within council and is
associated with technical problems, it is perceived as being very high
risk.
6
Webcasting ownership
In general, councils do not recruit dedicated webcast managers and
therefore this role must be delegated to a department or individual. In
many cases, this department or individual is reluctant to expose
themselves to the high profile risk associated with webcasting and
therefore is it very difficult to find a ‘webcast’ champion within councils.
Inter-departmental coordination
There are many departments within a council who would benefit from
having access to a webcasting service, but due to lack of information
and exposure, many departments are not aware of the webcasting
benefits, or that there is a council webcasting capability at all. There
are huge incentives in establishing inter-departmental collaboration.
Not only could resources be shared and investment justified, it would
mean a greater volume and variety of webcasts available to the
general public. This would raise webcasting awareness, allow for
‘cross-marketing’ of webcast events, and consolidate skills and
resources dedicated to webcasting.
Transparent government
Despite the efforts of DCLG to encourage councils to adopt new
technologies and to be more transparent in the eyes of the public,
there is often reluctance from councilors to embrace webcasting
because it exposes the council and individuals within the council to
direct public scrutiny. Even when all other barriers have been
overcome, the ultimate decision rests with the councilors and in some
cases they are intimidated by the prospect of live transmission and
direct interaction with the public.
7
Early considerations
As needs vary from council to council, outlined here are some of the
more pressing concerns gathered from research to-date.
Ease of use
Councils wish to have complete control over the webcasting process
and recognise that contracting a third party provider is both costly and
inflexible.
As resources are limited, the system should be operated by 1 person.

This applies to all councils no matter the size or complexity of the
webcast project.
In order to justify the system it is important to get maximum use from

it. Therefore any person, no matter how technically literate, should be
able to manage and produce a webcast.
Accessibility
Councils must adhere to the guidelines recommended in the DDA of
1995, namely ‘all reasonable effort’ must be made to make all content
accessible by Special Needs users.
The system must therefore be designed so that the user interface

complies with DDA regulations and is within the WAI rating. In addition
to HTML design practice, this means that media should be
accompanied by a text version of the content, whether in full
(transcript) or part (caption). The system must allow captions to be
inserted under the video and for users to access transcripts of the
webcasts if available.
Users should be provided with clear instructions on how to access the

webcasts and whether or not their computers will allow them to do so.
The system should have a mechanism for self-diagnosis and
automatic link to support.
8
Adaptability
Most councils wish to broadcast meetings live directly from the council
chamber while others wish to webcast from a variety of committee
rooms within the same facility. Others have a need to webcast from a
remote location such as a school, civic centre or such like. The system
must be portable and be compliant with a wide range of AV systems.
Whenever PowerPoint slides are used in a presentation, they must be

made available to the online audience. The webcast must sychronise
PowerPoint slides and graphics to the video or audio.
Councils wishing to attract local investment have expressed a need to

produce promotion and information videos as well as broadcast local
events. This means pre-recorded video needs to be encoded and
made available on the website. The system must therefore allow a
variety of different formats to be connected to the system, such as
DVD, VHS, Mini DV and Beta SP players.
An interest has been expressed in using webcasting for training

purposes, both for the public learning courses, and also as an internal
resource for employee training. This will mean the webcasts will need
to be broadcast on intranets as well as internets. The system needs to
provide the council with the tools to quickly create informative,
interactive learning applications to include multimedia presentations
and multiple choice questionnaires if needed.
The larger councils usually wish to integrate the webcasting system

into their AV system and therefore do not require cameras or audio
systems. The system must therefore be offered with or without AV
equipment.
Interactivity
If the online audience needs to participate in the debate or to question
a speaker, they need instant interactive tools to do so.
During debates the venue audience may be asked to vote. The online
audience must be given the same opportunity to do so and therefore a
voting or polling system needs to be provided.
9
Network issues and bandwidth

Connectivity has been a major consideration both for sending and
receiving webcast content. The system therefore needs to offer a
variety of connectivity options from source to server and from server to
user and these needs will differ for each council.
In addition to providing a variety of different connectivity options,

consideration must be given to bandwidth consumption on a council’s
network.
Councils wish to webcast whenever they feel like it without having to

notify the webcast service provider. Currently all webcasting solutions
require the council to telephone and book bandwidth for live
broadcasting. This greatly restricts flexibility of use.
Security
Councils are also concerned about security issues. Streaming
protocols are often prevented from penetrating firewalls. Streaming
protocols must be compliant with network standards where possible
and the user, if behind a firewall, must be alerted to the fact they may
not be able to view the content.
Although individual councils may be willing to reconfigure their

firewalls, very often IT departments prevent network users accessing
streamed content because of bandwidth concerns and downloading
‘inappropriate’ content. The system therefore needs to have a
‘restricted access’ option to allow allocated content only to pass
through the firewalls.
Content
In order to make the webcasts as compelling and as informative as
possible, speaker profiles, event agenda and other supporting
information should be made available both during and after the event.
As most events could take between 2 and 3 hours, it is unreasonable

to expect a user to watch the entire event as an archive. Therefore a
search engine and index menu needs to be made available so that the
user can quickly find and retrieve relevant content.
10
Some councils have content created in the past, such as training

videos and promotion videos. There is therefore a need to allow
councils to incorporate pre-recorded content into the webcasting
initiative.
Management and support

In order to measure the success of the webcasts, the council must be
able to view user statistics for each event. Statistics must be made
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For webcasts requiring restricted access, the operator needs to be

able to set up password protected gateways. This is particularly
important for internal communications.
At anytime, the manager needs to be able to see who accessed

content. This facilitates marketing and gives a clear indication of
webcasting success.
For the interactive features, the management needs to be able to see

responses as they come in and to keep these responses on a
database for future reference.
If for some reason the council is unable to produce a webcast, an

immediate support service needs to be available to make sure the
webcast is produced without fail. Ideally the system must have a
remote access system in place so webcasts can be produced
remotely.
In the early stages of webcasting, most councils do not know how

much hosting they will need as they are unsure about audience size
and number of events. The hosting system must be flexible to adjust
to the changing demands.
11
Cost
As the councils need to budget well in advance for any investment
they wish to make, the system must have a fixed cost for the duration
of the year.
For smaller councils, the cost of investing in a dedicated, integrated

system is too great to be born alone. In this case, the councils would
prefer to share systems in order to share cost.
Some councils would rather purchase hardware outright, while others

prefer to lease.
Features
A list of essential and desireable fearures is provided below. Use this
to evaluate webcasting solutions:-
Essential features
The solution can broadcast live Webcasts
a. The council can upload live video streams from the

Webcasting equipment
- Any webcasting solution must include a

combination of hardware and software that allow
the council to record a meeting and
simultaneously upload it to a website.
b. The video steam is broadcast in real time over the internet
- An end user should be able to watch the meeting

in real time, or almost-real-time.
12
The Webcasting equipment and software is easy to use for the

council
a. The council user can set up the hardware with a small

amount of training
- If the solution is portable, a council officer who is

not familiar with webcasting equipment should be
able to set it up easily with a couple of hours of
instruction. This includes making the webcast
available to internet viewers.
b. The Webcasting equipment is portable (if it is not built into

a meeting room)
- A portable solution means that the equipment can

be used in a number of meeting rooms.
c. Detailed technical knowledge is not required to run live

Webcasts, upload recorded Webcasts or edit other
content on the Webcasting site
- The entire solution should be accessible to non-

ICT staff.
The end user can navigate and use the Webcasting system easily
a. A calendar of upcoming Webcasts is available
- This should be prominent on the webcasting

home page, so that users are aware of meetings
that they can watch in the future as well as
recorded Webcasts.
b. Links to other relevant documents or reports accessible

from the council’s corporate website are available
- Users have the opportunity to research the

background to a decision that they're interested
in.
13
Desirable features
The end user can participate in meetings
a. A real-time ‘chat-room’ function allows end users to

contribute their views to an officer in a live meeting
- This helps narrow the distinction between citizens

that attend council meetings in person and those
that view Webcasts.
b. End users can comment on meetings
- Citizens who have questions or comments about

meetings should have a simple channel for
communication with the council. Comments an be
picked up and responded to either during live
meetings or after the meeting.
The solution can broadcast recorded Webcasts
a. The council can upload pre-recorded video files, which are

stored on the Webcasting site’s server
- This allows users to watch meetings that they

were unable to see in real-time due to other
commitments.
b. The council can add index points to recorded Webcasts to

help end users find a specific point in a meeting
- Most viewers will only be interested in a specific

part of a council meeting. An index allows a user
to skip straight to that point rather than watching
the entire meeting.
14
Benefits
Webcasting has to date been applied by Local Authorities to support

two main strategic agendas:
· Strategic communication
· Democratic renewal
Most Local Authorities have tended to concentrate on one or other of
these agendas – at least as a first step – and there are common
benefits in the use of webcasting for both of these areas:
· It provides information in the format of choice for most

residents – video
· It makes information accessible to residents who are not
confident with the written word – either because of language
or literacy barriers
· It’s a cost effective way of communicating directly with your
residents without the filter of the media – taking direct control
of your message
· It addresses viewers growing expectations of the functionality
they will find on websites
· It enhances internal communication
· It can make your website more visually exciting and engaging
· Making decision making process more transparent
· Open and accessible meetings - anyone can watch and
interact
· Increase familiarity with technology
· An archive of webcasts means meeting can be re-visited
· Meet DDA requirements e.g. alternative access (reasonable
adjustment) to meetings
· Address social exclusion issues – webcasts can be watched
from anywhere at anytime.
15
Use of webcasting for strategic communication builds on work

already going on in this area to use new technologies in order to reach
residents more effectively. As websites evolve and broadband
becomes more ubiquitous use of multimedia is becoming increasingly
common. Examples of uses of webcasting in this would be:
· for executive briefings – short clips from senior members and

officers on important issues
· providing general summaries of important issues
· providing background information and promotional content for
local services and initiatives,
· crisis communication (this includes the audit record of
available knowledge and actions which may be vital after the
event as evidence)
· internal communication across different sites.
The private and entertainment sectors are already making extensive

use of webcasting in these ways.
Democratic renewal is in many ways a more exciting application of

tools such as webcasting. There is a strong starting position for a
process of re-engagement of the electorate which is to say that the
first steps need to be twofold – making the public more informed in the
democratic process and engendering an atmosphere of trust to
encourage them to start applying this knowledge. Activities such as
the webcasting of meetings, consultation briefings and community
updates develop trust by demonstrating transparency and showing the
people involved in the process.
By developing this further and enabling community groups to webcast
for themselves this openness and transparency is pushed even
further. For instance webcasting could also be used for “on site”
progress reports on significant items that will be of interest to residents
e.g. a Leisure Centre or Materials Recovery Facility being built.
16
Provision of services
There is a third area where webcasting is starting to make an impact –
in the provision of services. This covers a variety of ideas such as
internal training, webcasting of civic ceremonies (for example
weddings or citizenship ceremonies) and the supply of webcasting
services to third parties such as Local Strategic Partners. As Local
Authorities start to take the lead on these kinds of technologies there
are increasing opportunities to use them in a more commercial way.
Types of webcasts
Despite the different types of content it is possible to define five core

webcast formats that are being used by Local Government. These
include:
· Formal meetings (key public meetings)
· Public enquiries
· Meetings in the community
· Webcasting of clips and briefings (for both internal and
external audiences)
· Marketing or consultation videos
· Youth engagement projects
The first three are all being regularly created by Local Authorities and
this document describes these in more detail. The fourth format and
fifth formats are not covered by this document. The fourth format is
currently more likely to be outsourced to a production company rather
than created in-house by a Local Authority. The fifth format is being
used by youth workers and used video to work with young people
around issues which matter to them – it’s a big area and one where
the use of video is growing rapidly.
17
Chamber meetings / Committee meetings

The most common application of webcasting within councils is in the
live broadcasting of meetings from the council chambers. Content
various significantly from council to council but there is some likelihood
that committees will invite in specialists and require the use of
supporting assets such as PowerPoint slides, photos and graphics. To
this end, is favorable to provide the public with either video and/or
audio coverage supported by synchronised PowerPoints.
Committee meetings may invoke reactions from the public and indeed,
this may be encouraged. If this is the case, then the decision may be
made to allow the public to send in questions to the committee
members and/or to vote on outcomes.
General public announcements

Webcasting is a very efficient method of explaining to the public about
changes to policy, announcing new developments and investment,
and generally keeping the public up-to-date on council current affairs.
So if for example, there has been a decision to raise council tax, the
mayor could explain in person why this is happening and the benefits
to the public.
This goes along way to generating confidence within the public. Most
announcement type webcasts only require single camera coverage
and can be pre-recorded. This is a very simple and effective method of
webcasting.
Public enquiries
For contentious issues and for scenarios where the public are invited
to attend meetings and to express views and concerns, webcasting is
the ideal method for reaching a far wider cross section of the
community.
As the enquiries are saved, along with the questions, comments and
votes from the online audience, webcasting is a very efficient method
of archiving valuable content that can be referred to by council staff,
the public and the media.
18
Online surgeries
In addition to conducting face to face surgeries with individual
members of the public, councilors could hold online surgeries with
individuals or groups. Councilors could announce an online surgery
and request members of the public e-mail to reserve a slot.
The schedule can be divided into group or private sessions. Members

of the public can send in questions and comments in real time directly
to the councilor.
Promoting council and public services

Councils could make greater use of webcasting as a means to
promote services and community attractions. Examples include:
· Business - Councils could create video footage of the benefits

of locating a business to the region. These benefits may
include logistics, tax incentives, local skills and so on. It may
be possible to find a commercial sponsor such as a local
recruitment company or haulage firm to finance the
production.
· Tourism – Many regions rely on tourism so why not create

videos showcasing the attractions. Once again, a commercial
sponsor could finance the production.
19
Weddings and civil ceremonies

Webcasting weddings and civil ceremonies is an excellent method of
generating revenue for the council and this use of webcasting could
finance the entire annual webcasting needs of the council. Fixed
cameras can easily be set up in the Registrars office and, using a DIY
webcasting system, the images webcast live to family and friends.
The archive would then be available to download from the website,

and/or kept on a ‘weddings’ archive section of the website for a few
months. If a council charged £50 for a wedding webcast and
conducted 1,000 weddings a year, this would generate £50,000.
Considering a DIY webcast system costs in the region of £15,000 –
£20,000 a year, it is easy to see what the return could be. If you add
sponsorship revenue to this amount (by placing a banner advert of a
local restaurant on the website for example), the return on investment
could be doubled.
Internal council communications

Many councils have regionally dispersed offices and find it hard to
maintain close contact between members of staff and departments.
Many councils are part of larger, regional stakeholder groups and
have merged certain services for efficiency. Webcasting is an
excellent internal communications tool that binds these groups
together.
If a department or council wants to make a change that will impact

others because of dependencies, logistics or joint resources, inviting
the other departments or neighbouring councils to a live, interactive,
multimedia webcast will not only raise awareness and understanding,
it will demonstrate thoughtfulness and a desire for effective
communication. Webcasts do not have to be complex; they can be as
simple as a single camera coverage or audio broadcast with
PowerPoint.
20
Online learning
Many councils hold course for members of the public on subjects
ranging from fixing the tap, filling in benefit claims, computer literacy
and how to be a better parent. By simply placing a camera in the room
and recording a workshop, this valuable content can be made
available to anyone at anytime.
For council staff, webcasting can be used for induction training and for
Continuing Progressive Development. The production costs are not
great. All that is required is a recording of the next training course
being held within the council. This can then go on the intranet and be
available for everyone as a pre-course taster, support during the
course and for revision.
Community service and minority groups

Community groups within the council, such as youth groups, single
parents, youth offenders, senior citizens and refugee groups could
make use of webcasting services provided by the council. These
community groups are often marginalised because of accessibility,
special needs, finance and language issues. These marginal groups
can achieve greater social inclusion through the internet as both
producers and consumers.
As producers, they can communicate their views and needs to the

public and to the council. As consumers, they can benefit from content
webcast for them by the council, such as training course and help
packages designed with their specific needs in mind.
For profit by renting services at conferences

Many councils have excellent conference and event resources
available to them. In the commercial sector it is becoming standard
practice for conference centres to webcast the events that are taking
place at the venue. As a revenue generating strategy, it would be easy
enough for a council to include webcasting as either a value add or
chargeable service. Considering that a very basic webcast costs
upwards of £1,500 an event, this could be a useful source of income
for councils.
21
Staff & resource
Webcasting can be approached as a one-off activity for special

events, however if you have more than a few relevant events then it
can be more cost effective to equip staff to carry out webcasts
themselves. This makes it easier for webcasting to become part of the
ongoing operation of the Council. It’s important not to underestimate
the resources (especially people) required to webcast effectively.
Levels of resourcing will of course depend on the volumes of
webcasting that is being done. It is reasonable to expect that each
webcast will require an additional member of staff at the event being
webcast as well as some preparation work. The other area where
resource is required is in marketing the webcasts as it is important to
make sure that they are pushed effectively to the public in order to
achieve significant viewership.
Training is essential and initial training should be followed by regular
practice/refreshers to build up a pool of expertise amongst staff, and
links should be made with the relevant user forums to share
information and experience with other authorities.
As with any project webcasting needs the support of both members
and officers in order to work well. From the Council’s who are already
using webcasting on a regular basis it is clear that the most effective
projects draw on a cross departmental team. The project is probably
best led either by democratic services or by communications,
depending on the strategic emphasis for the project. However support
is required from both these groups as well as from the IT department.
The eGovernment officer and member should also be involved and if
there is a physical install then the facilities team will need to be
included.
22
Getting support
One of the first challenges a webcasting project can face is in

establishing ownership and a ‘home’ for the project. As happened
with early website projects, the webcasting can often bounce between
different departments. As mentioned, the experience of Local
Authorities to date has been that webcasting sits most comfortably
either with Democratic Services or with Communications departments.
Getting ownership and support for webcasting in the organisation is
essential as there can be resistance due to individual fears and
suspicions about being videoed or about the value to the public. In the
local authority it is important to find ‘champions’ at member and officer
level, and provide them with information on the benefits/reassurance.
There are a number of specific points here:
Members involved in quasi-judicial processes (eg planning/licensing)
may be particularly concerned (but of course these are amongst the
most useful meetings to webcast from the public’s point of view).
Some legal advice may be reassuring (see Appendix three for an
example from the London Borough of Croydon).
It’s important to make sure that your key champions and decision
makers have been able to view the example webcasts – this may
involve working with your IT department to deal with problems with
firewalls etc (see chaperer nine).
There is a need to manage expectations on picture style and quality
as Members and others may initially be disappointed with the quality
(in comparison with e.g. TV).
23
Is there a business case?
As with any democratic activity it can be difficult to build a financial

business case to support webcasting. However as a communication
channel webcasting competes favourably with print methods as its
costs are extremely scalable.
Many of the Local Authorities who are currently webcasting reject the
idea of identifying a business case as they see the kind of openness
and transparency which webcasting brings as being an essential cost
of democracy in a digital age. However cost benefits can be
expressed for webcasting and it is worth exploring these are part of
your planning.
It is also worth noting that when measured against the cost of other
democratic activities such as public meetings webcasting can be seen
as an extremely cost effective way of reaching citizens.
RSe Consulting have written a Business Case for Local Authority
Webcasting which you can find at www.icele.org. Alternatively you
can use the automatic ‘needs analysis engine’ and PID creation tool at
www.webcastguide.co.uk
24
BUILDING A STRATEGY
In many ways the most difficult aspect of a webcasting project is in

building a strategy. For example, a content strategy needs to be
considered even before you decide on the implementation solution
that you want as the types of content, the location and the frequency
of your webcasts will all inform your webcasting solution choice.
25
BUILDING A STRATEGY
Steps to adoption
1. Identify the webcasting needs.
2. Identify the obstacles that could prevent webcasting.
3. List the solutions to those obstacles.
4. Review the list of considerations.
5. Liaise with the personnel who could help provide the

solutions.
6. Consult with stakeholders within the council to measure

the level of understanding.
7. Circulate information about webcasting to raise the level

of understanding.
8. Invite departments to submit ideas for webcast content.
9. Establish a webcast stakeholder group.
10. Invite webcasting companies or consultants to make a

presentation.
11. Request the webcasting companies to present solutions to

your needs.
12. Compare solutions and weigh up the pros and cons.
26
BUILDING A STRATEGY
13. Conduct an online and offline audience survey to measure

the level of interest.
14. Contract a webcast company to produce 1 event and

measure the response. Make sure there is effective
marketing and lead time so the public have chance to
prepare.
15. Webcast pre-recorded content and build up a variety

aimed at specific user groups.
16. Create a webcast section on the website.
17. Experiment with audio webcasts using as much available

equipment as possible and basic webcasting tools.
18. Progress to video only webcasts using a single camera.
19. Measure statistics and adapt your techniques accordingly.
20. Invest in a ‘DIY’ multimedia webcasting system. If you

cannot afford to invest in one, consider sharing a system
with neighbouring councils.
Alternatively, consider negotiating a contract with a webcast

production company for providing a fixed volume of webcasts per year
for reduced cost.
27
BUILDING A STRATEGY
Content Strategy
In building your content strategy you could go through the following
steps:
Deciding which strategic objectives you want to support with your
webcasting
Starting with a clear reason for webcasting is going to keep a focus to
your project and avoid the trap of technology for technologies sake. It
will also make it easier to see who in the organisation needs to be
involved in the project and who should lead.
As part of this process you also need to make sure that you have a
clear idea of your webcast audience – are they internal or external?
Are they young people or are you trying to access elderly residents?
This may not affect the content but will have a big affect on how you
market the webcasts.
Engaging decision makers

Once you have identified the areas where you want to make an impact
with webcasting then you will need to engage the relevant decision
makers. This means looking for both member and officer support.
Webcasting projects tend to be one of the most cross-functional /
cross-departmental type of projects and so buy in from all the relevant
parties is essential for success.
Decide what content is available to webcast

Once you have decided what you want to achieve with your
webcasting then the relevant content will start to suggest itself. Ideally
you will come up with a balance of formal and informal content which
is accessible and useful to the viewer.
28
BUILDING A STRATEGY
Decide what to webcast

Once you have worked out what it is possible to webcast then you
need to whittle it down to what you want to webcast. When defining
content you need to think from the viewer’s perspective. You need to
make sure that your content is interesting and relevant to the audience
that you have identified and you need to make sure that you can
present it in a way which is accessible to people who may not be at all
familiar with the way in which the Local Authority works.
Process creation
Once you have identified your initial content then you need to look at
how you will refresh this and continue to grow it – the management of
your content plan should be an ongoing process.
Marketing your webcasts

Assuming that viewership is important to you it is essential to define a
marketing plan for your webcasts alongside your content plan.
Evaluating your webcasting

Your evaluation methodology will depend on the format of your
webcasts and the objectives that you defined at the start of the project.
Section Seven discusses evaluation in more detail.
29
BUILDING A STRATEGY
Strategy Workflow
1.0 Budget
Check
Is your annual
webcasting
budget:
a Less then You can afford to contract a

£5,000 per webcasting company for 1
year? event per year.
Or
You can afford to produce
simple audio webcasts within
the council. You can also
webcast pre-recorded
content.
b £5,000 - You can afford to contract a

£10,000 per webcasting company for 3
year events per year.
Or
simple webcasts within the
council. These will be audio
or video only. The video will
be single camera. You can
also webcast pre-recorded
content.
c £10,000 - You afford to contract a

£20,000 per webcasting company for 5-7
year events per year.
Or
complex webcasts within the
council. These will
multimedia and interactive.
The video will be multi-
camera. You can also
webcast pre-recorded
content.
30
BUILDING A STRATEGY
d More then You can afford to contract a

£20,000 per webcasting company for
year complex, high risk webcasts
and use a DIY webcasting
system for all other
productions.
2.0 Council
Stakeholders
a Do you have a It is vital that someone takes

webcasting ownership of the webcast
champion? initiative and drives the
project to conclusion.
b Do you have You need to delegate

personnel someone to be responsible
available who for producing the webcasts.
could produce Ideally this will be someone
webcasts? from IT or AV, but it could be
any staff member who could
be shown how to produce a
webcast. Ideally, each
department would contribute
someone.
c Do the You need to raise councilors'

councilors level of understanding so
support they know what webcasting is
webcasting? and how it can benefit the
council. Begin with a proof of
concept webcast, then
possibly a pilot running for a
few months. If councilors are
concerned about negative
appearances, begin with
audio webcasts and release
them ‘on-demand’ only.
31
BUILDING A STRATEGY
d Do decision makers Educate the decision makers by

understand providing them with information
webcasting benefits? about webcasting. Invite them to a
presentation about webcasting.
Suggest a pilot webcast before
progressing to more complex
webcasts.
3.0 Public Stakeholders
a Does the public Place a short description about

understand webcasting on the council's
webcasting? website. Use terms the public
understand. Start with simple
webcasts.
b Is there a need for You will need a custom built

the public to see website player and a software
slides and graphics program for synchronising slides.
synchronised with the This requires either contracting a
media? webcast company or a
sophisticated DIY system.
c Is there a need for You will need a custom built

the public to website player so the audience
contribute during can submit, and you can receive
webcasts? questions in real time. This
requires either contracting a
webcast company or a
d Is there a need for You will need a custom built

the public to vote on website player so the audience
some issues? can vote, and you can receive
responses in real time. This
requires either contracting a
webcast company or a
32
BUILDING A STRATEGY
e Does the public include a Use a custom built website

mixture of technically player with accessibility
literate and illiterate users features such as System
using both old and new Checkers and index points.
computers on both fast Use multibitrate encoding.
and slow connections?
4.0 Technical
a Will your IT department Webcasting is difficult without

support webcasting IT support. Make IT aware of
efforts? your intentions, suggest audio
only webcasts at first and
begin with a pilot and invite
them to participate without
long term commitment.
b Can you use your You will need to configure

network to send content your network or use an
up to the media servers alternative, stand alone
on the internet? solution such as using ISDN
lines or DSL to connect from
the encoder to the server.
c Can you watch webcasts IT will need to configure the

on your network? network. Both Real Media and
Windows Media have support
sections on their websites
giving instructions to network
managers on how to do this.
d Do you have sufficient You will need to increase

bandwidth available to bandwidth or use an
webcast content from alternative connection such as
your network? ISDN lines or DSL to connect
from the encoder to the
server.
e Do you have ISDN lines? It is advisable to have BT

install at least and ISDN 2E
line as a back up and incase
there are issues with the
network and bandwidth.
33
BUILDING A STRATEGY
5.0 Audio Visual
a Do you have a At the very least you need to be able to

sound system? capture audio. Audio systems differ
according to your needs. Find out what
your sound system is capable of,
whether it is portable or static and
whether is could connect to remote
controlled cameras for automated
coverage.
b Do you have Find out what cameras you have and

cameras? who knows how to use them. You can
use standard ‘manual’ video cameras
for creating pre-recorded videos such
as interviews, training videos and
promotions. For coverage of a council
chamber you will need at least 3
cameras. If you have not invested in
cameras, find out if you really need
then (i.e you are happy with audio only
webcasts) and then match the camera
to the need. You may decide on remote
controlled cameras that are easy to
operate and can be set up to work
without camera operators.
c Do you have an Confirm whether you AV department

AV department would set up and operate the AV
or someone system required to webcast. You
who looks after should include the AV team in
the AV system? webcasting discussions.
34
BUILDING A STRATEGY
6.0 Venue
a Do you intend If so, a fixed system will be adequate.

webcasting from This will lower cost and risk and
the council simplify webcast production.
chamber only?
b Do you intend In this case, you need a system that

webcasting from can be moved from room to room.
other rooms in Complete mobility is not a requirement
the same because you can probably connect to
building? the same facility network. Also, the
distances required to move the
equipment will not be great so the
system does not have to be small.
c Do you intend You will require a portable system that

webcasting from is capable of plugging into any internet
other buildings? connection. Also, you will need to carry
the equipment greater distances and
use cars to move the gear.
35
BUILDING A STRATEGY
7.0 Content
a Do you wish to If this is the case, you only need to

webcast audio only? invest in a simple encoding system.
This is a very low cost, low risk
solution.
b Do wish to In this case, you’ll need a camera

broadcast pre- to film the content and to play the
recorded content, content into the encoder for
presentations, webcasting. If you have pre-
interviews, and recorded content on other formats,
other projects where such VHS, DVD, CD and Beta, you
there is only 1 or 2 need a media player or device that
'actors'? connects to the encoder.
Production doesn’t have to be
complicated. You could learn
simple camera and webcasting
techniques in half a day.
c Do you wish to This is more complicated then

webcast audio with simple video or audio webcasts and
synchronised slides, therefore you need to invest in
graphics and text? software that will allow you to
synchronise graphics to the media.
The end user will need to watch the
multimedia broadcast in a purpose
built webpage.
Or
Contract a webcasting company to
do the webcast for you. If you are
only doing a few events a year, this
is the best policy.
d Do you wish to You can use exactly the same

webcast video with synchronisation software as used in
synchronised slides, audio webcasts (see above).
graphics and text? Or
Contract a webcast company.
36
BUILDING A STRATEGY
e Do you wish to This is a recommended approach

create and but will depend on your resources. If
maintain a webcast plan on webcasting in-house, you
section on the will need to get the web team to
council website? build this for you. This does require
some specialist understanding of
code used in webcasting.
Or
Contract the webpage build to a
webcasting specialist.
f Do you have full As you will need to maintain the

support from your webcast web page, you will need full
web development support of your web team.
team? Or
Have the web page designers
(whether in-house or contracted) to
build a Content Management
System (CMS) so you can do this
yourself.
8.0 Volume of
webcasting
a How many
webcasts do you
propose per year:
1 Contract this to a webcast company.
Between 2 and 5 Contract these to a webcast

events company unless they are very
simple in which case you may
consider investing in an encoder and
doing it yourself.
More then 5 events Consider investing in a DIY

webcasting system.
37
BUILDING A STRATEGY
9.0 Collaboration
Will more then You will need a mobile, easy to use

one department webcasting system that can be moved
be webcasting? from room to room. Ideally, a member
of staff from each department will be
familiar with the system.
Does your You will need a portable system that

council can easily be picked up, transported
collaborate with and set up quickly and easily. It will
other councils? need to be compliant with a variety of
different internet connection types and
AV systems. Consideration must be
given to branding. Will each council
require its own web interface or will a
standard interface be shared.
38
INTRODUCTION TO THE TECHNOLOGY
This section provides a brief overview of the technology behind

webcasting. This should provide a high level introduction for a project
leader though it will be useful for a member of the project team to have
more detailed technical knowledge than this.
39
What is the webcasting process?

There are many different types of webcasting, the most common
being: Audio only webcasts
· Video only webcasts
· Audio and video webcasts with synchronised PowerPoint

slides and other media.
· Interactive, media rich webcasts with features that allow the

audience to submit questions and vote in ‘real time’.
Audio only
This is the simplest type of webcast. The end user listens to the event
on a default Media Player. There is no synchronised media, indexing
or interactivity, just the complete broadcast.
Most councils have audio systems in house so all you need do is

download the free Windows Media encoding software and install it on
a standard computer. You will need a streaming media hosting
account which will cost about £1,500 - £2,000 per year. You can
therefore expect to be webcasting for £2,000 to £3,000 per year
including set up.
As audio files are small, the bandwidth requirement for audio

webcasts is a lot less then for video webcasts. This means that the
connectivity and hosting costs are low. As audio webcasting is very
simple, you can do this easily in-house without a contractor and
without specialist equipment.
From the end-users perspective, audio webcasts are more accessible

then video webcasts for those on slower internet connections. They
are also less obtrusive and therefore users can get on with other
things while listening to the broadcasts.
40
Video only
This is a lot more complicated then audio only webcasting because of
the video production element.
If you only use 1 camera, it is very easy because all you need do is
connect the camera to the encoding computer. This is fine for events
like presentations, interviews, announcement and even workshops.
You can easily do a single camera webcast in-house without specialist
equipment. The cost would be in the region of £3,500 - £5,000
depending on quality of equipment. However, most council meetings
require between 3 and 4 cameras and this is complicated because you
need to use a vision mixer and all sorts of other equipment. You have
the option of buying in webcasting production services or investing in a
DIY webcasting system.
The cost for a contracted webcast is usually £3,000 - £6,000 per event
and a standard DIY system is £15,000 - £20,000 per year.
Consideration must also be given to bandwidth, as video webcasts
consume a great deal of bandwidth which means you need to invest in
broadband connections to the internet and pay for more storage and
bandwidth consumption.
From the end users perspective, video webcasts can be more

compelling then audio webcasts and if the content is educational,
more informative. However, video webcasts are not good on slow
internet connections and can lead to more accessibility issues.
The cost of a single camera webcast is considerably less then a multi-

camera webcast and can be easily produced in-house at any time.
41
Audio and Video interactive multimedia

webcasts
In order to provide the end user with more event information, the
means to navigate more freely through the webcast, ask questions
and to be more ‘involved’, it is desirable to produce interactive,
multimedia webcasts. These webcasts play in a purpose built
webpage that includes all the multimedia and interactive elements.
Most councils do not have the in-house skill sets to build this type of
webpage and therefore there is an immediate investment requirement.
Typically, webcast websites cost approximately £1,500 depending on
design.
When producing an interactive multimedia webcast, a special

‘synchronisation’ and ‘indexing’ software program has to be used to
make PowerPoint slides change and to allow the end user to jump to
specific points within the webcast. This requires investment into
special ‘DIY’ webcasting systems or contracting to a professional
webcast provider. As stated, the costs are £3,000 to £6,000 per event
for a contracted webcast and £15,000 - £20,000 per year for a DIY
solution.
The only saving between an audio and video interactive multimedia

webcast is the production cost and bandwidth.
From the end users perspective, the interactive multimedia webcasts

are more compelling, more informative, and easier to navigate through
and allow direct interaction with the speakers.
42
The webcasting process

All types of webcast can be produced as ‘live’, ‘on-demand’ or ‘as live’
productions.
Technically, webcasting is a four stage process:
· Capture of video and audio content

· Encoding of the content by passing it through a specialist PC
– the Encoder
· Streaming of the content by passing it from the encoder to the
Server
· Viewing of the content by connecting to the stream being
webcast from the Server
Alongside the audio/video content contextual information such as the

name of the speaker or the slides from the speaker’s presentation can
also be transmitted. Best practice suggests that it is important to
include this additional information as it makes the webcast far more
relevant and informative for the viewer.
The encoding process can be carried out in a number of different
formats. The most common ones currently are Windows Media format
and Real format. It is also possible to stream in more than one format
of course but as this adds considerably to the costs most Local
Authorities will need to make a choice between these two formats.
There are pros and cons to each of these formats which the
organisers of any webcast need to evaluate.1
The other major variable with webcasting is with the rate at which the
content is encoded. The rate relates to the size of the internet
connection that you want to be able to send content to and the rate, or
rates, chosen need to balance picture quality with webcast
accessibility. A lower rate is accessible to more viewers; however a
higher rate provides a better quality picture.
43
A: Video and audio production

This is the filming and recording of the content. This can be as simple
as recording from a £15 microphone or as complex as a multi-camera
production.
B: Encoding
Encoding compresses the media and converts it into a format that can
be broadcast over the internet or intranet. Real Media and Windows
Media are the primary formats, the most prolific webcasting format
being Windows Media. Encoding software is free to download from the
internet.
C: Hosting
Hosting is the term used for storing and broadcasting the webcasts.
Webcasts require special ‘streaming’ servers that are designed to
broadcast webcast in the most efficient way. If you put an encoded file
on a standard web server the file will download to the viewer’s
computer and can only be watched when the whole file has been
downloaded.
Streaming servers drip feed the file to the viewer’s computer and allow
it to be viewed as it arrives at the computer. Live webcasts only work
using streaming servers.
Servers are specific to the webcasting format. Windows Media files

will only stream from a Windows Media server while Real Media files
play from Real Media servers.
44
D: Web interface
A user accesses a webcast by clicking on a URL in a webpage. The
URL can link to a live broadcast or an encoded file stored on the
servers.
Content encoded in Windows Media format plays in a Windows Media

Player on the viewer’s computer, while Real Media plays in a Real
Player.
Example of default media players
The webcast player

Webcast players can be as simple as a default Media Player or as
complex as a multimedia webpage with interactive features such as:
§ Real time Questions to the presenters
§ Multiple Choice
§ Voting and polling
45
§ Speaker profiles
§ Meeting agendas
§ PowerPoint slides
§ Seek-to menu
§ Transcripts
Bespoke, custom branded ‘microsites’ tembed video players in a

webpage and synchronise the media content with associated graphic
and text content. Interactive features, such as text boxes, voting
systems and multiple choice questionnaires can also added.
Example of a multimedia webcast player
46
Overview of the webcasting process
47
WEBCASTING FORMAL MEETINGS
Formal meetings normally have one of two formats – a round table or

council chamber set up with multiple speakers or a panel style
discussion with questions and answers from the audience. This
section applies to both these styles of meeting.
Webcasting does not need to have a big impact on the way in which
meetings are run and should be a quick and easy way of capturing
content. Detailed planning and preparation suggestions for
webcasting are included in the accompanying checklists (see
Appendix Two). The ideas in this document are best practice
suggestions from current webcasting practitioners, designed to help
you present the best possible content for the webcast.
What is important however is that webcasts are contextualised for the
viewer and that the relevant papers and presentations are provided in
order to make sure that the webcast viewer is getting a meaningful
view of the live meeting.
Some Local Authorities prefer to send formal protocols for webcasting
which provide participants with a framework for how the webcasts will
run during a formal meeting.
48
WEBCASTING FROM THE COMMUNITY
The London Borough of Croydon’s protocol is included as Appendix

Three. Other Local Authorities prefer not to formalise the webcasting
to this extent and work without a formal protocol. There are pro’s and
con’s to both approaches and you will need to decide which works
best for your authority.
The behaviour of your meeting attendees will obviously have a big
impact on the quality of the content that is created. For most
Webcasting Authorities it is of primary importance that the webcasting
does not interfere with the running of the meeting/event. That being
said there are still a number of ways in which a participant at the
meeting can behave which will improve their presentation on the
webcast, as well as the overall quality of the webcast. It is up to the
event organiser to decide what they want to ask the meeting
attendees to do and whether they want to brief them specifically on the
webcast process.
For the purposes of this document we have split the audience and
“actors” for formal meetings into five sections:
· Meeting organisers
· Meeting participants: Anyone formally speaking at the
meeting
· Meeting Chair: Running the meeting
· Meeting audience: Members of the public (or Council
Officers) viewing the meeting on site
· Webcast audience: Anyone viewing the webcast over the
Internet - either for the live or archive content
In the next section are some suggestions as to briefing points you

could consider for your different groups.
49
Meeting Organisers
Preparation
There is a need to prepare as much as possible in advance of the
meeting, identify and enter names, seating plan and pre-set camera
positions if you are using them.
The web team needs to be on board/involved in advance of the
meeting both to advertise the webcast and to make links with agenda
papers/other parts of the Council site.
During the meeting

There is a tension between just witnessing/recording the proceedings
and actually influencing them. Hopefully any changes to enhance the
webcast would represent general good practice anyway, but it is
important to negotiate these in a sensitive way.
Meeting Participants
Preparation
There is no special preparation needed to participate in a webcast
however as any comments or presentations are going to be ‘recorded
for posterity’ the speaker will probably be more comfortable if they
have had some chance to think through what they are going to say so
that they can make sure that they come across clearly and
professionally.
50
Meeting behaviour advice

Again, during the meeting there is no particular need to change
behaviour in order to accommodate the webcast but there are a few
simple points that can improve the quality of the webcast - most of
these are steps that will be taken anyway as part of good meeting
protocol:
Ø Always use the microphone – good audio is essential to
webcast quality and unless the microphones are used the
speaker will not be heard on the webcast
Ø If the speaker is not familiar with using a microphone then
make sure that the organisers brief them as to the best way of
using the microphone system. General points are:
Ø If the microphone is a fixed one on the desk all you need to do
is make sure it is switched on when it is your turn to speak
(there is usually a switch on the base unit). You don’t need to
lean into the microphone but you do need to make sure that
you are always facing it when you speak
Ø Handheld microphones should be kept an even distance
(probably about 30cm) from your mouth as you speak. You
should ask for a quick test before you speak to make sure that
you have the distance right
Ø Speak slowly and clearly
Ø Speakers need to remember to introduce themselves so that
the viewers at home know who they are
Ø Make sure the speaker always goes through the chair – this
gives the webcast operator the opportunity to move the
camera to focus on them before they start speaking
Ø Try to avoid moving around and using expansive arm gestures
– rapid movement does not webcast well for viewers with a
small (i.e. 56k dial-up) internet connection
51
Ø If you are using PowerPoint make sure that slides are given to
the organisers in advance so that they can make them
available to the remote viewers
Try and remember to ask for feedback from the webcast audience as
well as the meeting audience – people respond much more positively
to a verbal request and will feel more involved in the process
Meeting Chairs
Chairing a meeting that is being webcast does not require a lot of
extra work – below are a few protocol points which should make things
go more smoothly. Most of these are basic good practice for meeting
protocols anyway and will probably already be in place. As a webcast
organiser you may choose to brief the Chairs of your meetings on
these issues.
Preparation
There is little to do in advance of the meeting however it is a good idea
to:
Ø Make sure that the webcast operator who is capturing the
content is aware of any sections of the agenda which you do
not want webcast
Ø Agree with the webcast operator when you want to start the
webcast – will you give them a signal or do you want them to
start automatically after you take your seat?
Ø Make sure that any papers or presentations supporting the
event have been, where possible, made available to the
webcast operator so that they can also be made available to
the webcast viewer
Ø If you have a protocol then let the webcast operator know if
people will be seated or standing to speak – this helps them
line up camera shots in advance and gives a smoother
production for the viewer
Ø Agree with the webcast operator what you want to happen
during breaks in the event. It should be possible to display a
message to the webcast viewer during any breaks explaining
what is happening so that they know when to come back to
view the content
52
Initial announcements
In order to make sure that everyone at the meeting is aware that they
are being webcast and to cover data protection issues some kind of
initial announcement is required at the start of the meeting. This is
also a good opportunity to welcome remote viewers to the event.
There is no set formula for these announcements but they should
cover:
Ø Informing everyone that the meeting is being webcast –
making it clear if the webcast is going to be paused or stopped
for any private content
Ø Welcome to the webcast viewers
Ø Explaining who will be webcast – in most cases this will just be
the speakers but you need to mention that other people may
be caught in the shot (if they are sitting immediately behind for
instance) and should move if they do not want to be webcast
Meeting protocols
Ø Once the initial announcement has been made then there are
a few meeting protocols to be recommended:
Ø Ensure that all speakers use their microphones so that they
will be audible on the webcast. This should be enforced even
for short interjections as it can be very frustrating for the
webcast viewer to miss parts of the meeting
Ø Make sure that agenda items are announced and any
supporting documents named so that the viewer at home can
follow the meeting
Ø Make sure that you introduce each speaker – or that each
speaker introduces themselves for the benefit of the public
53
Meeting Audience
The meeting audience should not be affected by the webcast in the
main, however it is important to make sure that they are aware that it
is taking place so that they have the option not to be webcast if they
choose.
This is normally done by:
Ø Putting up signs in the venue making it clear that the meeting
is being webcast
Ø Asking the chair to make an announcement at the start of the
meeting
54

Our early viewership figures suggest that community meetings are
particularly popular. They can therefore be good publicity for the
webcasting process as well as for community engagement/groups
themselves.
Webcasting from the community will normally take the form of

webcasting formal meetings or clips and briefings. In these cases the
differences are mainly technical in terms of internet connectivity and
audio systems. These are not to be underestimated however.
Alternatively bespoke social video services can be deployed, such as

Bristol Viewfinder (http://www.viewfinder.public-i.tv/). The Viewfinder
project uses video clips generated by the community as a means of
consultaion with the council.
55
There are some specific planning points to be taken into consideration

when webcating from the community:-
· Venue selection: If you have a choice, go for a venue with

adequate lighting and sufficient space for the expected
audience plus safe working areas for cameras, cabling etc.
Cameras need to be placed away from walkways and ideally
raised above head height.
· At least two cameras are needed to ensure the meeting (top
table and audience) can be adequately covered. Sight lines
should be tested both before the meeting and when the
audience are present.
· Ensure the venue has an internet connection if a live
broadcast is required.
· Ensure adequate transport facilities (and people) to take
weighty equipment to the venue. Make sure you arrive in
good time to set up the venue and webcasting equipment,
carry out tests and preset camera angles.
· As far as possible identify names of likely attendees before the
meeting for captions – or obtain participants’ details in order to
edit in afterwards (but see below).
· Take care re: publicising names and information about
individuals (inc. apologies for absence etc) – security
considerations.
· Issue re: ownership of the material/copyright (if community
group)
· Use microphones, train people to use them. Ensure helpers
can get the roving mic quickly to participants (and/or repeat
contributions when the microphone arrives)
· Consider if you will need an ambient microphone to pick up
missed comments (but be aware of likely background noise
issues)
56
If you are webcasting from Council property you will usually be using
the same venues multiple times. This tends not to be the case with
webcasting from the Community and you will need to get to grips with
a wide range of venues each with their own particular issues. An
experienced team will be able to get the most out of each venue but
you will need to make sure that they are resourced to be able to plan
and test for each event if you want a consistent quality of output.
You will also need to make sure that you give any members of the
public who are speaking some kind of briefing on the use of the
microphones. These are essential if their points are going to be heard
on the webcasts and the experience to date has been that people who
have not used microphones before will need a little coaching on their
use beforehand. This will make a big difference to the quality of the
webcast but more importantly to how comfortable the speaker feels in
using the equipment.
You may have a range of objectives in webcasting from a community
location:
· Making the formal meetings more accessible to the community

· Engaging the local community in key decisions
· Engaging in an ongoing dialogue with community groups
In all these instances it may help to engage with Community groups in

content planning so that you can be sure that you are webcasting the
content that they are most interested in.
Finally, community webcasts are an excellent marketing opportunity
for all your webcasts so it’s a good idea to have some marketing
materials on hand pointing to the webcasts.
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WEBCASTING CLIPS AND BRIEFINGS
Clips and briefings are perhaps the most interesting area of growth for
local government webcasting as Authorities are just starting to explore
the ways in which webcasting can be used to provide quick and
effective communication to the public.
Some councils are leveraging free social video sites such as YouTube
(www.youtube.com) in an effort to place clips directly into the public
arena at very low cost.
For example, Somerset County Council has submitted a clip on

YouTube to defend the decision to split-up the regional council
framework (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjv-4-PNWDc ).
58
The main ways in which this has been done to date are:
Briefings from the Leader or Chief Executive – these have been
carried out for both internal and external audiences
Consultation process support – short videos explaining issues such
as the transfer of housing stock have been used to support formal
consultation processes
Introductions from key staff – people’s website profiles have been
complemented with a short video introducing themselves and their role
in the Authority
Feedback from these has been extremely positive and they provide an
accessible way of communicating important messages to the public.
Briefings from the Leader or Chief Executive
These webcasts are very simple to produce and just consist of a

simple head and shoulders shot of the speaker making a short speech
straight to camera. They can be supported with presentation content
or with additional contextual information on the website. A good
example of this would be an explanation of the budget or council tax
setting process where a webcast would compliment existing
explanatory materials. The content could either be captured during a
live event or you could arrange a specific recording session for the
briefing.
Though these clips are relatively simple to create there are a few
points that are worth noting:
Some speakers prefer to write their own speeches but others will ask
for briefing materials from the relevant department. Find out in
advance which your speaker prefers.
You will need to discuss with the speaker if they are going to want to
repeat the speech a few times and then choose the best one or if they
are happy for you to record it just once. Either can be done but you
need to plan in advance if they are going to want to edit their content
at all.
Audio is as ever extremely important so you will need to make sure
that you have good audio capture for your event
If they are using a presentation try and get a copy in advance.
59
Consultation process support
Short films can be an excellent way of condensing and communicating

consultation content. A simple way of achieving this is with a ‘talking
heads’ series of webcasts where you ask representatives of different
parts of the debate or different experts to give short presentations
about their part in the consultation. These can then be webcast from a
single web page which provides more information about the
consultation.
Introductions from key staff
These work exactly the same as the briefings from the Leader or Chief
Executive but instead of more topical content they are intended to
introduce staff to the residents and explain what they do in a simple
and direct way.
Content creation
Short clips are quick and easy to record and webcast. However as
with webcasting of meetings and events there are some simple steps
that you can take in order to improve your presentation and record the
clips quickly and efficiently:
Unless you are using a professional video production team you need
to try and capture your clip in one ‘take’ – i.e. present all of your
content in one go without a break and then choose between different
complete clips. This will almost certainly require some rehearsal and
preparation.
For news items try to limit your clip to no more than 3 minutes
If you are trying to get across a more complex point that needs longer
than 3 minutes then try and introduce index points so that viewers can
jump to specific points in your presentation
As with meetings and events - try and remember to ask for feedback
from the audience – people respond much more positively to a verbal
request and will feel more involved in the process.
60
The stickines factor

The whole idea of using webcasting in local government is to involve
the public in the democratic process. In order to do this, the public
must know that in addition to witnessing the decision making process,
they can actually contribute. This is an immensely powerful benefit of
webcasting and one that often escapes both the council and the
public.
In order to make webcasting a success, it is vital that the public know

that a webcast is going to take place, why they should participate,
what benefits they can expect and how they can access the webcast.
This is done in a number of ways:
a) Avoid technical jargon
Most of the general public has no idea what ‘webcasting’ is so there is

little point in using the term. It is much more effective to use terms like
‘live video broadcast’ or ‘participate in the debate on housing and vote
on the outcomes’ or ‘listen to Councilors explain why they spent £21
million on a leisure centre’.
b) Make sure the webcasts are advertised in places

where they get the most exposure
All too often webcast announcements are buried in a non-descript

section of the website. Try to place a link on the homepage of the
website and on relevant sections such as ‘Planning’ or ‘Health’.
c) Dedicate a section of the website to webcasts
Experience has shown that by placing all webcasts in one dedicated

section of the website, users will quickly learn that if they want to
access an archive or find out about forthcoming webcasts, they should
immediately go to this section.
You can brand this section ‘Council TV’ or some other catchy title that
avoids jargon. You can add a ‘Save this page’ button so that the
section is automatically saved in the user’s internet browser. If there is
an issue placing a link on the homepage for each webcast (see point 2
above), this is a good way to overcome this.
61
Ideally, create a small strap banner promoting the ‘Council TV’ section
with a click-through. In this way, the webmaster doesn’t have to
constantly change the design of homepage.
d) Provide information about forthcoming webcasts
After watching a webcast for the first time, many viewers will be
responsive to coming back for more. If there is no information to entice
them, they will not make the effort to find out for themselves so you
have to spoon feed them the information.
e) Always provide an archive
As a rule of thumb, there are 20 times more viewers to archived

webcasts then to live webcasts. Therefore it is vital to make sure
viewers know a webcast will be available post-event prior to the event
going live. If a user sees an advert for a live broadcast of the Friday
Planning Committee and had a prior engagement, they will not attend
and a viewer is lost.
If the advert also announces that the broadcast will be available from
21:00 hrs on Friday night and that the next live broadcast in on the
following Wednesday, the user will be inclined to watch the archive
and keep Thursday night free for the live broadcast.
f) Prove to the public the benefits of participating in a

webcast
Viewing figures will rise if users see that their opinions are being heard
and acted upon by the council. This can be done by writing in the
webcasting section that certain meetings, questions from the online
audience were taken.
The users can be directed to archived webcasts where questions and

the responses can be seen. This information can be supported by
announcements to the effect that ‘further action is now being taken’ or
similar updates.
62
g) Registration, SMS and e-mail alerts
Most councils are resistant to requesting registration information from

users, but research indicates that if the users feel they will be
rewarded for their efforts, they are willing to provide an e-mail address
at registration. The reward could be access to the ‘submit question’
option during a live webcast or SMS and e-mail alerts to forthcoming
webcasts.
h) Quality of productions
Nothing will drive a viewer away faster then to be faced with 2 hours of
poor quality, tedious content. It is therefore vital that production
standards are maintained and the archived webcasts are ‘top and
tailed’ to remove the images of Councilors greeting each other, taking
their seats and shuffling papers. Most viewers will turn off before the
meeting has even begun. Index points must be added so that viewers
can use a menu to jump to specific points of interest without having to
watch the entire proceedings.
i) Use of multimedia and interactivity
Information is more compelling and more easily retained if it makes

use of multiple media. If at a planning meeting a debate is in full swing
over plans to build a housing estate next to the local nature reserve, a
PowerPoint slide showing photos, maps and plans will greatly
increase understanding. Supporting information about the speaker will
show that this is the same person who proposed converting the bank
into a nightclub. When the Chairperson asks if there are any
questions, an online viewer who could not attend the meeting could
submit a question.
At the end of proceedings a vote could be taken. The effective use of

multimedia and interactivity greatly enhances the webcasting
experience and will lead to increases in viewing figures.
63
EVALUATION
How you evaluate your webcasting project will depend on your

objectives which you set yourselves in starting to webcast. As with
any objective setting exercise you will need to make sure that you are
clear on how you will measure success for each of your objectives. It
is also worth considering separately how you will know if your
webcasting project is a success overall – what will make you decide to
continue webcasting?
Going through this process at the start of the project will ensure you
get better value from webcasting and avoid the gimmicky use of new
technology
64
EVALUATION
Evaluation methods may include:

· Looking at viewership statistics – this can be useful but always
needs to be done in conjunction with a review of marketing
activities
· Evaluating changes to participation and feedback in other
areas – for instance are more people responding to
consultations, are you getting more general feedback from the
democratic process
· Audience feedback – this can either be gathered online or
could be added to citizen panel or other general research
routes
· Internal efficiencies – are staff finding it a benefit to be able to
view the webcasts? Are you able to communicate more
effectively?
Improvement
Once you have started webcasting then the best way of ensuring that
you continue to improve is to link into existing resources and to learn
from colleagues both in your own and other authorities. You should
also get as much feedback as possible from your viewers to help you
improve the content you are showing them. Ideas include:
· Joining the webcasting community of practice (see Appendix

One)
· Talking with other Local Authorities who are already
webcasting
· Seek feedback via the webcast on the webcast process itself
and not just to the content of the webcast
65
EVALUATION
Statistics
Viewing statistics are a vital tool when assessing webcasting success.
Statistics should be available 24/7 so that a manager can not only see
how many viewers access a webcast when it has finished, they can
also see viewing figures during the webcast.
Statistical data can be very detailed and if studied correctly, will allow
a webcasting manager to build up an image of how the audience
responds to the webcast content.
Typically, statistics will show the number of times a webcast was

watched, by who, how long they watched for, the quality of delivery,
the connection speed, and from where they were watching.
Example section from viewer statistics
Success is not just measured by the total number of views as this can
include single users logging on and off during a single webcast.
Viewing statistics may indicate 500 views, but there may only be 50
actual viewers. It is important to determine the number of unique
viewers, the duration logged on, and the number of times they view
webcasts.
66
EVALUATION
Once establishing the average monthly viewing figures, it is important

to see this number grow. This can be achieved through better
marketing; providing a greater volume of webcasts aimed at niche
sectors within the community; providing a wide variety of compelling
content; maintaining high production standards; and making it easy to
access webcasts.
Example section from viewer statistics
Registration
The most reliable resource for measuring success is the data
generated through registration systems. This is because each viewer
will have a unique user ID which can easily be recorded. Registration
information can be used to build up a very accurate picture of user
behavior.
Many councils have been reluctant to use registration as it is seen as

an obstacle to entry. However, if the user is aware of the benefits, they
will be more inclined to make the effort. For example, if a viewer
registers for a webcast, they can be offered the option of receiving
SMS and e-mail alerts as well as having the power to submit
questions and to vote.
67
EVALUATION
Audience satisfaction
Success cannot be measured in numbers alone. The true measure of
success is monitoring whether the content has been useful to the
viewer or not. There are different techniques for this, but common
ones include adding a Q&A session to as many webcasts as possible
so the end user can participate; adding a simple voting system to the
webcast webpage asking if the webcast was useful or not; making
announcements to the effect that policy has been changed partly as a
result of participation from the online users.
Making use of the statistics

It is advisable to trace the average viewing statistics on a graph
showing webcasts over a 12 month period. This graph can be placed
next to the annual schedule of webcasts with details about marketing,
content, and type of webcast. In this way it is possible to see if
different webcasts and marketing strategies impact the viewing
figures.
68
EVALUATION
ENGAGING THE PUBLIC
Webcasting is a way of catching people’s attention and enabling them

to become more informed in a quick and convenient way. In other
words you are catching their interest. Once you have caught their
interest then you can look to build on this with more meaningful
interactions.
You can consider webcasting in a number of different ways:

· Is the content itself engaging?
· Is the context interesting to the viewer?
· Are you trying to encourage an active response?
On these terms it is possible to engage the public without getting a

quantifiable response and this is one of the issues that needs to be
considered when you are looking at the progress and evaluation of
any webcasting project. You will need to find some way of measuring
these effects if you are going to have a full evaluation of your service
that looks beyond simple statistics.
69
EVALUATION
Marketing
Before you can consider engaging the public you will need to make
sure they know that the webcasts are there. Advertising webcasts is
no different to advertising events or services and this is covered in
many other e-Democracy documents. However it is worth noting a
couple of points specific to getting a regular audience for webcasts:
Because viewers may not have the correct player installed or may not
even have viewed a webcast before it is a good idea, as part of your
marketing, to ask viewers to carry out a test to make sure that they are
able to view your webcasts. This avoids frustration when they log on
to view the live event.
Ideally you will be webcasting regularly and building up a body of
regular viewers – to do this you will need to be consistent about the
content you are webcasting and provide an accurate and up to date
schedule of content.
This kind of service is ideally teamed with an SMS or email alert
system that viewers can sign up to so that they get notified prior to
each webcast.
Council staff are one of the best marketing tools that you have for
passing word of mouth information on to potential viewers – as well as
viewing in their capacity as residents. It’s a good idea to make sure
that they are kept up to date and enthusiastic about the webcasting.
70
EVALUATION
Calls to action
Webcasting is at first look a one way communication mechanism –

with the viewer passively receiving information from the webcast.
However when combined with other channels, such as email,
webcasting can be used to get an active response for example:
· Asking for further information

· Completing a survey
· Offering views or asking questions on the issue
· Signing up for mailing lists
· Volunteering to help in the future
Feedback mechanisms will normally be email or form based.

However they will be greatly strengthened if the people being webcast
can refer to them during the live webcast. This is increasingly being
used by programmes such as Question Time on the BBC where email
responses are dealt with alongside telephone or audience comments.
As with any other area it is of course important to respond to

communication that you get from the viewers. If you have requested
feedback as part of your webcast then make sure that you follow up
and react to this. Webcasting can be a very engaging way of
communicating with the public but it can create a very negative effect
to fail to pick up and capitalize on people’s enthusiasm.
71
VIEWING AND TROUBLESHOOTING
Once the webcast has been created and is available to the public
there are a number of ways in which the viewer can access it. It is
important to make clear in any documents that webcasts will generally
not be accessible by users over public sector networks unless
changes are made to the client PC (for Windows Media) and the client
PC and firewall (for Real Media).
72
Viewing the output

The key requirements for the client computer are Windows Media
Player 9 or later (Mac/PC) or compatible (Linux) or Windows Media
6.4 or later with the appropriate codec pack preinstalled or
administrator rights on the computer and/or Real Player 8 or later
(Mac/PC/Linux).
The video should play back on any standards-compatible browser on

any modern Mac, PC or Linux computer as long as the accessible
version is chosen and the correct media player software is installed.
You will of course need an internet connection – webcasts, if correctly
created, can be viewed by anyone with a 56k modem. However the
viewing experience will be considerably better for a broadband user.
If you are viewing over the network firewall then you (or your IT
department!) will also need to consider:
§ To view Real Media ports 554 and 7070 must be open

§ To view Windows Media port 80 must be open (this is the
standard web browsing port so will almost always be open)
§
Automatic rate negotiation may fail over a public sector network if port
1755 is closed for Windows Media. When this happens the player will
try to connect at the highest rate which may lead to jerky playback,
especially when the network is busy.
Viewers will need to manually select a lower connection rate if this

happens. To do this: Right-click the video window, select
Options.../Performance and choose a lower speed.
73
If you are having problems viewing any webcasts then the most
common problems are:
Symptom Issue Resolution

You are viewing The Firewall or Contact your IT department
over a network Proxy server is and ask them to allow
(for instance blocking video specific webcasting traffic
when online at traffic through as described above.
the Council’s
offices) and are
getting an error
No webcast is You do not have Check what format the

appearing after the correct player webcast has been encoded
clicking on the installed in and download the
link. appropriate free player try
playing one of the archived
webcasts
The webcast This is normally Check that you don’t have

keeps ‘freezing’ caused by any other programmes (such
insufficient as email) using your internet
bandwidth connection. Another
problem is spyware using up
bandwidth
If you are using Broadband
then try at a different time of
day when fewer users are
online.
If you are viewing on a
network then contact your IT
department
74
System Checker
As most users have no idea about the technology required to watch a
webcast and may be unfamiliar with the computer they wish to watch
the webcast from, a very good feature to add is a System Checker.
This is a software programme that automatically runs as soon as a

user enters the webcast section. It checks the user’s computer for any
issue that may prevent viewing and returns a results page. If the
computer is not webcast ready, the Help page automatically opens so
the user can fix the problem. If the user cannot fix the problem, they
can immediately contact Support. This technique has proven to be a
highly successful method of improving accessibility.
Example of a System Checker
75
76
PORTABLE SOLUTIONS
The London Borough of Lewisham has explored another approach to

webcasting – a sort of DIY solution for Councils.
The emphasis on connecting the community to the democratic
process needed to ensure that this system was usable more broadly.
Given that wireless broadband is being developed in many towns and
cities this opportunity for more universal use was taken.
77
PORTABLE SOLUTIONS
Lewisham Webcasting Project Objectives

1. To develop an interactive web-streaming system
2. To maximise interactivity
3. To ensure ease of use for non-technical groups
4. To enable wireless connectivity
Lewisham developed“Streaming suitcases” – a set of 3 bags with

wheels, each containing equipment to webcast – but with each with
different levels of equipment – the mini, the midi, the maxi.
Portable solutions have the additional benefits of:-
· Being used by community groups for more interesting content

gathering
· Being shared by neighbouring authorities
Bear in mind that you’ll still need broadband internet connectivity at

the point of encoding. This can be achieved in rural areas by using a
satellite interenet enabled van.
For more information about portable solutions visit www.icele.org
78
Appendix One:Further Reading
Documents
Title Author Location

RSe Business Case RSe Consulting www.icele.org
for Webcasting
Checklist for National Project www.icele.org

webcasting formal
meetings
Case Study on National Project www.icele.org

Webcasting
Research report on National Project www.icele.org

Webcasting to a
remote location
Webcasting National Project www.icele.org

Evaluation Report
79
APPENDICIES
Websites
Title Description Location

Webcasting Community set http://forums.dowire.org/webcasting/
Community of up as part of
Practice the National
Project
Programme to
facilitate
discussions
between
webcasting
practitioners
Streaming Technical http:www.streamingmeida.com

Media magazine on
webcasting
Real Website Technical http://www.real.com

information on
streaming using
the Real format
Windows Technical http:mircrosoft.com

Media Player information on
website streaming using
the Windows
Media Player
format
National http://www.brent.gov.uk/crmsupplier.nsf
Projects
Supplier
Register
Webcastguide ICELE guide to www.webcastguide.co.uk

webcasting
80
APPENDICIES
Appendix Two: Detailed checklists
This appendix contains checklist of considerations for anyone wishing

to webcast an event or to organise a remote viewing of a webcast
event. The checklist focuses on the operational information needed
and is designed for use by the event organiser. It is not a technical
‘How to Webcast’.
The event could be on Council premises or out in the community and

could be anything from a formal meeting to a community hosted
debate. The checklist covers venue assessment’ webcasting formats
and also covers steps to be taken if you need to use a satellite van to
provide Internet connectivity as opposed to the more usual ISDN or
ADSL connection. This checklist covers the event planning process
as it is affected by the decision to webcast an event.
Events may be webcast for a number of different reasons but the main
ones are:
· Widening access to public meetings or consultations
· Raising the profile of and (remote) attendance of the Council’s
and Member’s work
· Providing an additional feedback route for the public on key
issues
· Improve the transparency of the democratic process
81
APPENDICIES
Deciding to webcast
Is the content suitable?

First step is to be sure that the event is suitable to webcast. Below are
some questions to help you make a judgment on this:
1.1 Is the content of sufficient interest

to the public?
1.2 Will there be any other events on

the day that will detract from
potential audience turn-out and
make the archive of the event
more useful?
1.3 Are the target audience likely to

be able to attend live event in
person or do they need these
alternative arrangements?
Additional questions for a remote viewing:
1.4 Are there concerns about access

to the live content that make it
important to provide a public
viewing?
Notes / tips
The organisers need to take a view on this issue and every case will
be different. It is important to look at this from the point of view of the
audience and to be sure that there is genuine public interest – as
opposed to assuming that the public will be interested because they
should be.
It may be the case that you feel strongly that the event should be
made available – irrespective of audience turnout. This is a perfectly
legitimate position but one that is best aired in advance to ensure that
you, and other observers, are not disappointed in the turnout.
82
APPENDICIES
Is there a budget available?

As with any event there are budgetary considerations.
2.1 Is a budget available for venue hire?
2.2 Is a budget available for equipment hire?
2.3 Is a budget available for materials and marketing?
2.4 If you are using an external supplier to webcast the

event is there a budget available for this?
Appointing a supplier
Once you have decided to webcast then you will need to decide who
is going to carry out your webcast.
This may be a simple decision if you have the capability to do this in-
house or it might mean looking at different options externally. If you
are looking externally then the basic issues are of course standard
and you will be looking at areas such as:
Ability to carry out the event

Price
Quality of work and client references
83
APPENDICIES
Some more specific questions that you may want to ask a webcasting
supplier are:
· What formats do you use for webcasting?2
· Where will the stream be hosted and what is the capacity of
your streaming network?
· Will you be able to provide multiple streams for Broadband
and Dial-up viewers?
· Will you charge by hour of content or by volume of data
3
transferred?
· Have you had experience of webcasting formal meetings?
· Can you provide speaker names and other ‘enhanced
webcasting’ features for both the live and archived content?
· How long will the archived content be available?
Notes / tips
For one off events it is almost certainly going to be easier and more
cost effective to have your content hosted and streamed by a supplier
rather than setting up streaming services yourselves.
Good practice suggests that you provide multiple webcasting streams
so that you can serve both Broadband and Dial-up viewers. This is
not technically difficult to do and should be a requirement that you set
for your supplier.
For lengthy webcasts such as public meetings enhanced features
such as speaker names, agenda items and, after the event, indexing,
all make a big difference to the usability of your webcasts and will
make it easier for your viewers to access the content they are
interested in.4
2
The most common webcasting formats are Windows Media Player
and Real Player.
3
This is important to define as if it’s the latter then a popular webcast
will be a lot more expensive than one which is not viewed.
4
Please see the Enhanced Webcasting report on the National Project
website for more information
84
APPENDICIES
The Venue: General Assesment

The proposed location needs to be evaluated to ensure that it provides
a suitable venue for the event.
1.1 Is there power available at the venue?

`
1.2 Is there an adequate internet connection?
1.3 Is there going to be space to set up cameras on

tripods?
1.4 Is there an audio system available for use by the

webcast?
1.5 Is the lighting at the venue suitable for webcasting
Additional questions for a remote viewing:
1.6 Does the venue have sufficient capacity for the

potential audience?
1.7 Will the venue be comfortable enough for people to

watch the whole webcast? E.g. warm enough, food
supplied?
1.8 Is the venue located in an area close to the potential

audience?
Notes / tips
Good quality audio is essential for webcasting which means the
speakers will need microphones even if they do not need to be
amplified for the audience at the live event.
It’s unlikely that you will find the perfect venue so some compromises
will probably be required.
The only ‘show stopper’ for a live webcast is of course the internet
connection as without this the event is not possible at all. An archive
only webcast – where you capture the event and then webcast it after
it is complete is possible in almost all circumstances and may suit your
needs just as well.
85
APPENDICIES
Is there sufficient connectivity on-site?

The most important element to ensuring that a webcast event is
feasible is making sure that an internet connection is available.
2.1 Do you know the encoding rate for the webcast?5
2.2 Is there an uncontested internet uplink available at

6
least 50% greater than the encoding rate?
2.3 Is it possible to provide a second connection

option as a contingency?
If you are using a satellite connection then the following questions will
also apply:
2.4 If viewing over a network connection will the

firewall and proxy server both allow webcasts to
be viewed?
2.5 Do you have a secure location to park the satellite

van with line of sight to the venue?
2.6 Can the connection enable outbound as well as

inbound communication
Notes / Tips
The quality of the webcast picture is largely dependent on the size of
the internet connection for the viewer.
Good practice is for the webcast to be streamed in such as a way as
to make it accessible to viewers using a 56K dial up connection as
well as a higher rate stream for broadband viewers – however
irrespective of the encoding rate a faster connection speed will make a
tangible difference to the viewing experience.
Ideally some kind of Broadband connection will be available with a
56K dial up service available as a contingency measure.
5
You will need to provide at least a 34/42kbps encoding rate
6
For an encoding rate of 42kbps – ideally at least 64k connection will
be available, i.e. an ISDN line
86
APPENDICIES
With both Satellite and ADSL connections its important to make sure
that you find out the uplink capacity (which is what you will be using to
webcast) as this is usually smaller than the downlink capacity.
You need to make sure that you know who/what you are sharing your
internet connection with to make sure you can rely on consistent
bandwidth.
Is there sufficient power available?

The following items will require standard power:
· Event webcast
· Encoding PC and Monitor
· Cameras
· Audio system
· PA System
· For remote viewings:
· PC/laptop for viewing the webcast
· Back up PC/laptop for webcast viewing
· Projector
· Any PC/laptop that is being used to send feedback to the live
meeting (NB may be more than one – see operational
checklist)
· PA System
Notes / Tips
Standard power supply is 230 volts
PCs will require twice as many power sockets (for the tower and the
monitor) as laptops
87
APPENDICIES
Is the lighting suitable?

As with any use of a projector the lighting conditions need to be
appropriate in order to ensure that the audience has a watchable view
of the webcast. Considerations are:
4.1 If it is a daytime event then are

there curtains in the venue in
case of bright sunlight?
4.2 If a presentation is being made

will it be possible to leave some
lights on so that the presenter
can be seen on the webcast?
In addition for the remote viewing:
4.3 Can the lighting be dimmed in order to ensure that

the projector/screen will be visible?
Notes / Tips
You need to check the lighting from all parts of the audience to check
there is no glare from specific lights
You also need to make sure that enough lighting remains on to make
it safe for the audience to get up and walk around – to give feedback
or to get teas and coffees
88
APPENDICIES
How will audio be provided?
Sound is essential to a good webcast experience.
5.1 Does the venue already have an audio/PA

system?
5.2 If the venue does not have an audio/ PA system

then can one be hired?
5.3 Do you require a handheld microphone for

members of the public to use to ask questions?
In addition for a remote viewing:
5.4 Does the PA system have an “audio in”

connection that can be used to feed sound to the
PC/Laptop?
Notes / Tips
Some venues may also have a hearing loop – if this is the case then
the webcast can also be run through this
If you are going to have Q&A as part of the meeting then you will also
need to be able to run microphones through the PA for speakers from
the audience to use
You should plan on providing one microphone per speaker in order to
ensure good quality audio
89
APPENDICIES
Is there adequate access to the venue?
In order to set up you will need to make sure you have access to the
venue in advance
6.1 Can you have access to the site in order to survey

it before the event to check its suitability?
6.2 Is there adequate access before the event in

order to set up and test?
6.3 In the event of there being a gap between set up

and the event is the venue secure enough to
leave kit?
Notes / Tips
Set up time will depend on the number of machines being used so this
needs to be decided on a case by case basis.
90
APPENDICIES
Identifying the audience

Has the potential audience been identified?
It is important to try to identify specific groups who may want to view a

webcast so that marketing can be targeted. Ensuring that you have
identified specific groups will help keep you on track with the
objectives behind doing the event.
1.1 Who are the potential audiences for the event?
1.2 Is there a clear idea of what you expect them to

get out of the webcast – why should they want to
watch it?
1.3 Do you know how you will contact these

audiences to advertise the event?
Notes / tips
As with any kind of marketing the more detail with which you can
identify specific audience groups the easier it will be to communicate
effectively with them. It is worth spending the time on a brief
brainstorming exercise to make sure that you have identified all the
possible groups.
If you are trying to hold a discussion at the event as well then its also
important to make sure that you have a balanced audience
representing as many sides of the debate as possible.
91
APPENDICIES
Before the webcast

Marketing the webcast
Attendance is key in ensuring that the remote webcasting viewing is

lively and attractive to attendees. Below are some basic marketing
steps that can be taken to help boost attendance:
1.1 Advertising in local papers
1.2 Adding to meeting papers
1.3 Writing to local residents
1.4 Posters in the community
1.5 Flysheet describing the process
1.6 Press release
1.7 Information on the Council’s website
Notes / tips
Marketing does not need to be a high cost activity. The ideas
suggested above are a good starting point and need cost no more
than a few hundred pounds. Some of them – for instance putting
information on your website have no external costs at all.
It’s a good idea to create a marketing plan which relates the different
audience groups to the activities that you are going to undertake in
order to reach them – this ensures you get good coverage with your
marketing
92
APPENDICIES
Define the project team
Below are the main roles required to carry out this event:-
2.1 Who is the team leader?
2.2 Who is the technical contact?
2.3 Who is in charge of marketing?
2.4 Who is liaising with the event organisers?
In the case of a remote viewing:
2.5 Who is the liaison with the main meeting

organisers?
2.6 Who will answer questions from the audience on

the night?
Notes / tips
There is no need for a different person to carry out each of these roles
– you should be able to run the event with a team of 2-3 people
The closer that the webcasting team work with the main event team
the better – ideally in fact the event will be run by one team of people
93
APPENDICIES
Setting-up feedback routes

It is important to make sure that the webcast viewers are aware of how
they can participate in the process both by commenting on the event
and also, more importantly, on the content they are viewing.
2.7 Will webcast viewers be able to

ask questions at the live event?
2.8 Is yes, then how will this be

done?
2.9 Where should general feedback

about the webcast be sent?
2.10 How will you handle feedback in

response to the archived
webcast? Remember that this
may come in some months after
the live webcast
For the remote viewing:
2.11 Will the audience at the remote

event be able to ask questions
at the live event?
2.12 Is yes, then how will this be

done?
2.13 Where should general

feedback about the event be
sent?
2.14 Who will be able to answer

questions about the webcast at
the event?
2.15 Who will be able to answer

questions about webcast
content at the event?
94
APPENDICIES
Notes / tips
Some kind of feedback route is essential to make sure that the
audience feel engaged in the process
It is vital that any feedback received is acknowledged and, if it is
reacted to, actions taken as a result communicated back to the person
who raised the issue. It is very damaging to the individual’s perception
of the Council to feel that their comments have been ignored.
Preparing materials
The webcast audience needs to have access to the associated

materials for the live event.
4.1 Will the webcast provide access to all of the

meeting information such as agenda /
presentations / briefings / speaker bios etc?
4.2 Who will provide this information to the webcast

team?
4.3 When will it be provided?
4.4 Do you have a list of speakers? Assuming that

your webcast will transmit their names, when will
these be given to the webcast team?
Notes / tips
In most cases the materials will be the same as those being provided
at the main event
95
APPENDICIES
Agree room layout
In advance of the meeting the room layout needs to be agreed with

any other organisers:
5.1 Location of cameras
5.2 Location of Internet connection
5.3 Location of Webcasting

operators (including
Cameramen if relevant)
5.4 Location of screen / projector
5.5 Location of PA system
For the remote viewing:
5.6 Location of PC/Laptop running

the webcast
5.7 Location of machines for

feedback
Notes / tips
Try to make sure that the PC/Laptop running the webcast is not in
front of the screen as it will make it easier to make any necessary
adjustments. This may require an extension to the standard PC /
Projector connection lead that is provided with most projectors
The same is true of any machines provided for feedback – the
audience will be less intimidated about using these if they are at the
back of the room rather than in front of the audience
Its important that cables are secured and that the set-up would pass a
Health and Safety assessment. The main element of this is in
ensuring that there are no trip hazards created by the equipment.
96
APPENDICIES
Setting up at the venue

List of equipment at the event
7
1.1 Webcasting equipment – usually:
Cameras
Encoding PC
Audio equipment
For a remote viewing:
1.2 Screen for viewing the webcast (see

technical checklist for projector)
1.3 Projector for displaying webcasts
1.4 Laptop/PC for running webcast
1.5 PA System
1.6 Flysheets explaining the event to the

audience – as well as explaining how to go
back and view it on the archive
1.7 Any meeting papers provided at the live

event for the public
1.8 Feedback forms
1.9 Pens for filling out forms!
1.10 How many additional PC/laptops will be

required for the audience to send
feedback?
7
A full list to be created in conjunction with your webcasting supplier
97
APPENDICIES
Data protection / Legal issues

There are only a few points to remember in this area:
2.1 Have you created a sign to put up

in the venue to inform people that
you will be webcasting the event?
2.2 Have you informed all speakers on

the agenda in advance that the
8
event will be webcast?
2.3 If any of the speakers/participants

are under the age of 16 have you
obtained parental consent for them
to be webcast?
2.4 Are all valuable items insured if

stored overnight?
Notes / Tips
According to best practice you need to inform everyone at the event
that it is being webcast and give them the opportunity to avoid being
filmed if this is their wish. The easiest way of doing this is by putting up
signs throughout the venue explaining that the event is to be webcast.
You only need written consent to webcast in the case of children

under 16.
8
You may wish to provide speakers with a briefing on the webcasting
process – please see the webcasting best practice document for more
help on this.
98
APPENDICIES
Managing the webcast

As the webcast proceeds how will the event work? Its important to get
a balance between ensuring that the webcast does not impose itself
on the event and making sure that you create the best possible
webcast for your viewers. This section contains suggestions as to
how you can do this.
3.1 Do you have a set agenda for the

event and does the webcast team
have an up to date version?
3.2 Who will communicate changes to

the agenda to the webcasters?
3.3 If you are using speaker names

does the webcasting team know
who each of the speakers are or
will someone be on-hand to prompt
them?
3.4 Do you want presentations to be

transmitted?
3.5 If a projector and screen are being

used during the event have you
checked the lighting for the webcast
with the lights both up and down?
3.6 Can the chair announce the

webcast and introduce the event to
the webcast viewers?
Notes / tips
During the busy-ness of a live event its very easy to mis-communicate.
Clear lines of communication should be established and stuck to in
order to make sure that this doesn’t happen
99
APPENDICIES
Setting-up for the remote viewing

This section is only relevant if you are organising a remote viewing –
setting up for a webcast event would be managed by your webcast
supplier.
Setting up your webcasting Laptop / PC:
4.1 Will you be using a proprietary player (such as the

9
public-i player ) or will you be using the format
standard player?
4.2 Will you be viewing the webcast full screen or is

there a need to share the screen with supporting
materials such as slides?
4.3 Are you sure that there are no firewall or proxy

issues to viewing the webcast?
4.3 Cookies, Java and Javascript are enabled on the

browser10
4.4 All machine sounds to be turned off – though not

muted as this will mute the webcast as well
4.5 All Instant Message and Email programmes to be

disabled to ensure that they do not infringe on
bandwidth
4.6 All pop up reminders (for instance from Outlook

calendar or Windows updates) to be disabled
4.7 Close all other active or scheduled applications

(e.g. defragment / virus scan)
9
The Public-i Player is the webcast viewing tool provided by Public-i
as part of their webcasting service
10
NB these requirements may vary depending on how you are going
to be viewing the webcast
100
APPENDICIES
Notes / Tips
Windows Media Player or Real Player are the most likely player
formats as Quicktime and Flash are not usually used for live webcasts
In the event of there being accompanying slides (or other materials) to
view alongside the webcast then some trial and error is required to
work out the best screen arrangement as this will depend on the size
of the venue, as well as the size of the supporting content!
Specification of the viewing machine:
Below is a minimum specification for the machine being used to play
the webcast:-
· Windows 2000, or Windows XP
· Internet Explorer (v5 or above) or other browser
· Java virtual machine (JVM) – free download
· Recent versions of Real player (with Real text plug in) or
Windows Media player
· Pentium 166 megahertz (MHz) processor
· 32 MB RAM
· 16-bit sound card
· 256-colour video card
· appropriate card for connectivity required
· “audio out” for PA system
· The correct media player for the format of the webcast
Notes / tips
Check which codec11 your webcast is being encoded with in order to
ensure that you have the correct player
Set up of feedback machines
11
The codec is the version of the encoding software that is being used
to create your webcast. Different codecs relate to different versions of
the media player used for viewing (for instance Real 9 vs Real 10).
101
APPENDICIES
The specification for feedback machines will depend on the feedback

tools being used. These could be email or could be discussion or chat
technology.
Preparing the venue
4.8 Do you need to consider

providing transport to the
venue?
4.9 Will you be providing any

refreshments?
4.10 Is there a need to arrange

parking for attendees?
4.11 What signage is required? Tips

: Toilets, Exits
4.12 Have all cables been made

secure and safe?
4.13 Have you decided on a room

layout and communicated this
to porters, or anyone setting up
the venue, in advance?
Notes / tips
It’s worth taking the time to make sure that the venue is well presented
– first impressions have a big impact on the audience mood and you
want to make sure that they feel that the event is efficient and well run.
102
APPENDICIES
During the event

Communication protocols
Clear lines of communication will help ensure a smooth event:
1.1 In the event of a problem with

the webcast who will be
responsible for key decisions?
1.2 Who will liaise with the Chair /

Meeting Organisers during the
event?
1.3 How will you find out about

changes to the agenda which
may affect the webcast?
For a remote viewing event:
1.4 How will communication with the

live location be carried out?
Phone / SMS / email?
1.5 How will changes to the agenda

be communicated to the remote
location
1.6 Do you know who will be

available at the live location to
give you updates on the status
of the meeting
1.7 Do you know how you will be

communicating with the live
location?
103
APPENDICIES
Notes / Tips
During the busyness of a live event its very easy to mis-communicate.
Clear lines of communication should be established and stuck to in
order to make sure that this doesn’t happen
This is an area where it is important to co-ordinate with the staff
dealing with the operational (as opposed to technical) side of the event
to make sure that you are getting a single consistent message as to
what is going on
SMS is probably the easiest way of keeping in touch with the live
location as it is instant and quiet!
Monitoring during the webcast
There are various elements that should be monitored during the event:
2.1 Establish a rota to make sure

the live webcast is being
viewed by a member of staff at
all times
2.2 Assign someone to the

feedback machines to make
sure that they are all working
and that the audience are not
having any problems using
them
104
APPENDICIES
Contingency plan for connection problems
While webcasting is an established technology no technology is 100%

reliable. In the event of the webcast failing contingency plans are
needed. At the time your choices will either be to re-start the live
webcast once the connection has been restored or to abandon the live
webcast but create an archive webcast for distribution after the event.
3.1 Who will decide when/if you

abandon the live webcast?
3.2 Can you communicate this to

live viewers?
3.3 In the event of the live webcast

not working what are your plans
for capturing an archive only
webcast?
For a remote viewing location:
3.4 In the event of a problem its vital to identify

whether it is a problem with the venue’s internet
connection or with the webcast itself (see
technical checklist)
3.5 What contingency plans are relevant for the

event? Ideas include; alternative presentations,
questions and answer, coffee break
3.6 In the event of a problem how long will it be able

to go on before the event is either stopped or
alternative arrangements are implemented
3.7 What should happen in the event of the projector

failing – though the webcast is still running?
3.8 What should happen if the PC/Laptop showing the

webcast either hangs or worse?
105
APPENDICIES
Notes / tips
Contingency planning is something that can only be done in advance
– though hopefully these plans will not be needed it its important that
they are in place so that you can deal with changes and problems
seamlessly and professionally.
As with any event the organisers will need to take a view as to
whether the risk of failure is sufficient to make it necessary to take
substitute equipment. In the case of projectors etc this should be
discussed – however it is strongly recommended that a back-up
PC/laptop for viewing the webcast be provided
In the event of the webcast terminating then the operational team
need to have a contingency plan in place for managing the audience
while the technical team look into the problem
106
APPENDICIES
After the webcast

Follow-up after the event
Make sure that audience

feedback has been responded
1.1
to
1.2 Hold de-brief meeting with

project team
1.3 Analyse any audience feedback

questionnaires
1.4 Make sure the archive is

available
Notes / tips
As with any event follow up is essential – you want to consolidate your
learning and make sure that all loose ends are tied off.
107
APPENDICIES
Pre-event test plans

Webcast event
Below is a basic test plan for use before any live webcast. To use it
you will need someone viewing a test webcast from your venue via the
Internet.
2.1 Can the viewer see the

picture?
2.2 Is the audio clear and

available?
2.3 If you are transmitting speaker

names are these visible?
2.4 If a feedback feature is being

used is this being received by
the live location?
2.5 If a presentation is being used

is this visible on the webcast?
2.6 Have you tested for differing

lighting conditions – i.e. during
the presentation as opposed to
during a main speaker?
108
APPENDICIES
Remote viewing
Below is a basic test plan to be run through at the end of the set-up
process and before the event starts:
2.1 Is the PC/laptop for viewing set

up as per the set-up
recommendations?
2.2 Is the internet connection in

place?
2.3 Is it possible to view a test

webcast on the viewing
PC/Laptop?
2.4 Are the projector and screen in

place?
2.5 Can you view a test webcast via

the projector/screen?
2.6 Is the lighting optimized for

viewing the webcast?
2.7 Is the PA system in place?
2.8 Is sound coming through the PA

system from the test webcast?
2.9 Are the feedback PC/Laptops up

and running?
2.10 Has a test piece of feedback

been received by the live
location?
Notes / Tips
Make sure that your test webcast is in the same format and at the
same encoding rates as the live webcast – if possible run a live test
from the live venue as part of this process
109
APPENDICIES
Appendix Three: Sample webcasting

protocol from Croydon
(Approved by Cabinet at meeting held on 10 January 2005)
PROTOCOL FOR WEBCASTING OF COUNCIL AND OTHER

MEETINGS
The Council has agreed that certain meetings should be the subject of
live web transmission (‘webcasting’), or recorded for subsequent
transmission. Fixed cameras are located within the Council Chamber
for this purpose and there is a mobile unit for use in other locations.
Items in Part B of any Agenda will not be webcast, nor does this affect
existing restrictions in the Council’s Constitution on the recording,
photographing or filming of proceedings by any member of the public,
media or Councillor.
This protocol has been agreed to assist the conduct of webcast

meetings and to ensure that in doing so the Council is compliant with
its obligations under the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Human
Rights Act 1998. Accordingly the following will apply to all meetings to
be webcast by the Council:-
110
APPENDICIES
Agenda Front Sheets and Signage at Meetings
On the front of each agenda and on signs to be displayed inside the

meeting room there will be the following notice:-
"Please note: this meeting may be filmed for live or subsequent

broadcast via the Council's internet site - at the start of the meeting the
Chair will confirm if all or part of the meeting is being filmed. The
images and sound recording may be used for training purposes within
the Council.
Generally the public seating areas are not filmed. However by entering
the meeting room and using the public seating area, you are
consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images
and sound recordings for webcasting and/or training purposes.
If you have any queries regarding this, please contact the Members’
Services Manager for the meeting.”
Meetings of the Development Control Committee, Licensing

Committee and other ‘Quasi Judicial’ Hearings
In any correspondence notifying applicants, supporters or objectors of

the meeting date on which an application will be heard, the following
advice will be included:-
"Please note that Council meetings may be filmed for live or

subsequent broadcast via the Authority's internet site. If you do not
wish the hearing of your application to be filmed, please contact the
Members’ Services Manager to discuss arrangements. "
111
APPENDICIES
Conduct of Meetings
At the start of each meeting to be filmed, an announcement will be

made to the effect that the meeting is being or may be webcast, and
that the Chair may also terminate or suspend the webcasting of the
meeting, in accordance with their powers under para.1.02 and 1.04 of
Part 4A of the Council’s Constitution. This will be confirmed by the
Chair making the following statement:-
“It is the Council's agreed practice to film meetings for live or

subsequent broadcast via the Council's internet site. The images and
sound recording may be used for training purposes within the Council.
The Chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend

filming, if in the opinion of the Chair continuing to do so would
prejudice the proceedings of the meeting."
Cessation of Webcasting for Part B of the Agenda
Part B of any Agenda will not be webcast. The Members’ Services

Manager will ensure that filming and/or recording of the meeting has
ceased and will confirm this to the Chair of the meeting before any
discussion of Part B items is commenced.
112

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Civic Participation

Published by the International Centre of Excelence for Local

This guide has been complied from a number of sources including

The International Centre of Excellence for Local eDemocracy (ICELE)

ICELE would like to thank a number of people for their contributions to

Catherine Howe: Public-i

Webcasting is broadcasting video over the Internet. In a local authority

Webcasts can be edited and can have additional information and

Webcasting is the most effective way of distributing video to website

As a well established technology webcasting software and hardware is

Barriers to entry ...............................................................................2

User based barriers to entry ............................................................6

Technical literacty ......................................................................6

Early considerations ........................................................................8

Ease of use ...............................................................................8

Chamber meetings / Committee meetings................................ 18

CHAPTER TWO: BUILDING A STRATEGY .................................... 25

CHAPTER THREE: INTRODUCTION TO THE TECHNOLOGY....... 39

What is the webcasting process? ............................................. 40

The webcasting process ................................................................ 43

The webcast player.................................................................. 45

CHAPTER FOUR: WEBCASTING FORMAL MEETINGS................ 48

Meeting Organisers ................................................................. 50

CHAPTER FIVE: WEBCASTING FROM THE COMMUNITY ........... 55

Briefings from the Leader or Chief Executive............................ 59

CHAPTER SEVEN: EVALUATION .................................................. 64

CHAPTER EIGHT: ENGAGING THE PUBLIC ................................. 69

CHAPTER NINE: VIEWING AND TROUBLESHOOTING ................ 72

Viewing the output ................................................................... 73

CHAPTER TEN: PORTABLE SOLUTIONS ..................................... 77

Lewisham Webcasting Project Objectives ................................ 78

APPENDIX ONE: Further Reading ................................................. 79

Deciding to webcast ................................................................. 82

Identifying the audience ................................................................ 91

Has the potential audience been identified? ............................. 91

Before the webcast ........................................................................ 92

Marketing the webcast ............................................................. 92

Setting up at the venue .................................................................. 97

List of equipment at the event .................................................. 97

During the event........................................................................... 103

Communication protocols....................................................... 103

Follow-up after the event ....................................................... 107

Pre-event test plans ..................................................................... 108

Webcast event ....................................................................... 108

APPENDIX THREE: Webcasting protocol from Croydon ........... 110

Webcasting is a way of delivering recorded and/or live audio and video

This is a useful technique when clients need to rehearse presentations

An advantage of webcasting over other broadcast techniques is the

Webcasting is also interactive, with users typically sending in

In essence, webcasting is both a broadcast tool as well as a point to

When developing a webcasting strategy, consider the use of multiple

In order to improve webcasting understanding and to encourage its

1. Circulate a short ‘Introduction to Webcasting’ document to all

2. Invite a webcasting provider to come in to present to those

3. Do a trial webcast either by leasing DIY equipment or have a

Webcasts can be produced in-house using special ‘DIY’ systems or

For those councils wishing to webcast on a more frequent basis, the

A council’s first year webcasts could be as follows:

§ 5 key events per year with a total annual audience of 2,500

§ 30 committee meetings per year with an annual audience of

§ 100 miscellaneous webcasts (workshops, announcements,

The total number of users would be approximately 9,000 a year.

Based on the average cost of a contracted webcast, this would cost

Response from the public