Leading Analyst Firm Highlights Sonic Foundry as Sample Vendor in Hype Cycle
for Education
Adoption of lecture capture on the rise according to Leading Industry Analyst
Firm's largest Hype Cycle
DENVER, Nov. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- (EDUCAUSE booth #443) - Sonic
Foundry, Inc. (Nasdaq: SOFO), the recognized market leader for rich media
webcasting and knowledge management, today announced that Gartner, the world's
leading information technology research and advisory company, has included
Sonic Foundry as a sample vendor for lecture capture and retrieval tools in
the Gartner Hype Cycle for Education.
The Hype Cycle 2009 analyzes the maturity of up to 1,650 technologies and
developments currently present in various fields. According to the report,
lecture capture and retrieval tools are emerging technologies that are
expected to be adopted into the mainstream within two to five years.
"Lecture capture and retrieval tools have tentatively shown to have some
effect on student grades and retention, and they promise to be important
pedagogical tools," said Jan-Martin Lowendahl, Gartner research analyst in the
report. "The ability to index lectures and the ability to offer playback of
selected passages have proven key to these positive results.
"Throughout the past several years classroom technology has evolved from a
consideration to a necessity, allowing unique educational moments to be
translated into online learning sessions. Lecture capture is no longer a niche
tool; it has a mainstream application with broad appeal," said Sean Brown,
vice president of education for Sonic Foundry. "As the evolution of platforms
advances, consumers can expect to see more seamless integration in order to
facilitate teaching needs while catering to students' expectations," added
Brown.
"Sonic Foundry has been recognized by several analyst firms as the global
leader in market share, but we believe to have Gartner analyze the growth of
this market is verification of the role lecture capture will play in the
modern college classroom," said Rimas Buinevicius, chairman and CEO of Sonic
Foundry.
Since its introduction in 2003, Sonic Foundry's webcasting platform and
services have set the standard for delivering exceptional instruction and
sharing knowledge online. Trusted by educational institutions worldwide, the
patented Mediasite webcasting and content management system automates the
capture, management, delivery and search of multimedia presentations that
combine audio, video and accompanying graphics for live or on-demand viewing.
About the Hype Cycle
The Hype Cycle is copyrighted 2009 by Gartner, Inc. and/its affiliates and is
reused with permission. Hype Cycles are graphical representations of the
relative maturity of technologies, IT methodologies and management
disciplines. They are intended solely as a research tool, and not as a
specific guide to action. Gartner disclaims all warranties, express or
implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of
merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
About Sonic Foundry®, Inc.
Sonic Foundry (NASDAQ: SOFO, www.sonicfoundry.com) is the global leader for
rich media webcasting and knowledge management, providing enterprise
communication solutions for more than 1,500 customers in education, business
and government. Powered by Mediasite, the patented webcasting platform which
automates the capture, management, delivery and search of lectures, online
training and briefings, Sonic Foundry empowers people to transform the way
they communicate. Through the Mediasite platform and its Events Services
group, the company helps customers connect a dynamic, evolving world of shared
knowledge and envisions a future where learners and workers around the globe
use webcasting to bridge time and distance, accelerate research and improve
performance.
Product and service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of Sonic
Foundry, Inc. or their respective owners.
Certain statements contained in this news release regarding matters that are
not historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Because such
forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties, actual results may
differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking
statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially
include, but are not limited to, uncertainties pertaining to continued market
acceptance for Sonic Foundry's products, its ability to succeed in capturing
significant revenues from media services and/or systems, the effect of new
competitors in its market, integration of acquired business and other risk
factors identified from time to time in its filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
SOURCE Sonic Foundry, Inc.
Tammy Kramer of Sonic Foundry, +1-608-237-8592, tammyk@sonicfoundry.com
