Streaming WENT2000

[Justina Curtis <justina@c2o.org>]

Hi trainers, 

For your consideration, here is a proposal (also sent to aworc-meet) to
make WENT2000 the subject of AWORC's first Internet broadcast/streaming trial.


-jc


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Streaming WENT 2000

A Proposed Joint Streaming Media Case Study between AWORC &
APWINC/Sookmyung University

Prepared by Andrew Garton / c2o


Introduction

AWORC will be conducting WENT2000 in South Korea in June. It is proposed
that this workshop be the catalyst for a joint case study exploring the
opportunities and constraints of Internet media streaming technologies in
the context of women's networking in Asia. 

This proposal is a brief outline of the concept and opportunities of a
pilot streaming media project utilising the opportunities that may be
brought to it via WENT 2000. It is not within the scope of this preliminary
proposal to outline in detail the pros and cons, requirements, timelines
nor costs.


Background

The web has brought with it a suite of new technologies that are forging
new opportunities for communicators and educators alike. At the head of
demands for increased bandwidth, lower communications charges and increased
spending in compression technology development are numerous data streaming
initiatives, largely popularised by on-demand audio and video services.

As with most Internet innovations, their uptake is highly determined by US
and European markets. Bandwidth and telecommunications costs are less
prohibitive than in the Asia, Indo-China, Southern American and Baltic
regions, yet it is here, particularly in Asia and the Baltic, the poorer
infrastructure regions, where the more innovative use of these technologies
are explored and made accessible to a public hungry for diversity and
critical dialogue.

In this context, a pilot streaming project based on WENT 2000 would not
only provide an insight to the practical applications of these technologies
to workshop participants, it would add to the significant body of training
materials evolving from the WENT initiatives. In addition, as a research
project, the outcomes would feed into the general pool of knowledge
collectively growing in the region that is assisting the rapid emergence of
these technologies in the public information sector.


Concept

AWORC has also identified Internet streaming technologies as an initiative
to pilot during 2000. A suitable venue for such a project is WENT 2000. Not
only is there content to be recorded and archived, there may well be the
opportunity to work in collaboration with Sookmyung University facilities,
students and staff. 

All necessary components for a comprehensive Internet streaming pilot would
be accessible at the same time, at the same location. 

The concept presented makes use of this opportunity with outcomes that may
not only meet the need of such a pilot, it will provide further resources
enhancing the training resources being made available online.

In short, WENT 2000 becomes the content that the proposed pilot project is
based around.


Opportunities

The following outlines immediate opportunities for Streaming WENT 2000.

Training sessions would be recorded both on audio and video, archived and
made available via the training website shortly after the days training has
been completed. Training sessions may also be streamed and archived in
realtime.

Course participants may review material from other tracks, after hours.

Course materials are supplemented with audio and video to provide off-shore
training if required.

Participants can see how streaming works from a production point of view
and may have opportunities to sit in and participate in editing, encoding
and archiving sessions.
 
Women unable to attend the training in person may benefit from online
training presentations, or presentations that could be delivered on video
tape, audio tape, DVD, CD-ROM.

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a possible outcome for consideration


It is envisaged that this case study could be recommended for inclusion in
the growing body of research available from the International Institute of
Communications website, Converging Responsibility - Broadcasting and the
Internet in Developing Countries. The site is hosted by the Friedrich Ebert
Foundation.

Converging Responsibility was a three day conference discussing
broadcasting, the Internet, and development held in Kuala Lumpur, September
1999.

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