Overview

IHETS consortium members continuously seek new ways to inform, engage, and interact with their local communities and the world beyond.

Webcasting with live and on-demand streaming video and audio provides a convenient and cost-effective way to expand your reach.

Why use streaming audio and video?

IHETS creates and manages Webcasts of live, real-time events—classroom lectures, public addresses by noted experts, historic events, concerts by renowned musicians, and more. Several video and audio formats are available.

These Webcasts can be viewed on virtually any desktop or laptop PC with an Internet connection. IHETS also encodes and archives content on our servers for on-demand viewing and retrieval long after the real-time class, meeting, or event has concluded.

In addition, IHETS coordinates and manages satellite downlinks to real-time meetings, conferences, and events around the globe so faculty, staff, students, and others at member institutions are virtual participants whenever and wherever they need to be. A "view only" streaming option is available for those who simply want to listen to and observe the presentations of others.

Because IHETS streaming services are fully managed, they won't burden busy technical support staff or drain campus bandwidth.

Higher education, state government both use streaming to engage and inform

A number of consortium members, educational partners, and state government groups use IHETS streaming to deliver academic programs, share news and other information, and engage in cultural and community outreach.

• MBA classes at Ball State University, for example, are offered via IHETS video streaming at over 60 locations throughout Indiana and surrounding states. The entire program—including foundation, core, and elective courses—is offered at a distance.

• IHETS provides live audio broadcasts via the Internet for Huntington University's campus radio station, WQHU (The Fuse, 105.5 FM). The station includes both an on-air studio and production newsroom facility with a multitrack digital audio workstation.

• When Mikhail Gorbachev spoke at DePauw University last year, DePauw officials contacted IHETS for live and archived Webcasting of the Soviet leader's address. A Nobel Peace Prize winner credited with helping to end the Cold War, Mr. Gorbachev's address was presented as part of DePauw's Ubben Lecture Series.

• IHETS and WFYI are partners in streaming the seventh quadrennial International Violin Competition of Indianapolis. In 2002, the two organizations joined forces to provide audio streaming of the 6th quadrennial competition. This year, both video and audio coverage will be provided.

• The Indiana Supreme Court has used IHETS to stream its oral arguments since 2001. Hearings and annual addresses from the chief justice were added in 2003. These proceedings, along with swearing-in ceremonies of judicial officers and attorneys newly admitted to the Indiana State Bar, press conferences, and other events are available online.

• The Indiana House of Representatives began streaming live daily legislative sessions in January of 2005, a first in the state's history (see the state's news release titled House Republicans Provide Open and Effective Government as 2005 Legislation Session Begins). The project was expanded to include the Senate later that year. Now, regularly scheduled legislative sessions, deliberations, committee meetings, votes on specific bills and resolutions, and other proceedings in both chambers of the Indiana General Assembly can be viewed live on the state's Web site. IHETS recently upgraded these Webcasts to display speaker names and improve camera angles. The sessions are available at http://www.in.gov/legislative/session/video.html.

• The House added live Webcasting of its Ways and Means Committee proceedings in 2006, making deliberations about the state's fiscal issues, proposed bills and resolutions, and votes on pending legislation more accessible to Hoosiers. (For complete details, see release titled House Republicans Open Ways and Means Committee to Public with Broadcast over Internet.)

• IHETS has streamed Governor Mitch Daniels' 2006 State of the State address and his INShape Indiana Health Summit on obesity prevention.
  

How can you schedule a Webcast?

If you are a member of the IHETS consortium or an affiliated partner who wants to use IHETS Webcasting services to capture an event for live or on-demand viewing, please complete and submit the online request form. When we receive your form, our digital media services consultant will contact you to verify the information and offer assistance if needed.

For more information, contact:
George Khazal
Digital media services consultant
Indiana Higher Education Telecommunication System (IHETS)
714 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3112
Phone: 317.263.8870
E-mail