Mediasite cited as a sample vendor for video content management and delivery, video search and lecture capture

MADISON, Wis. — October 23, 2012 — Sonic Foundry, Inc. (NASDAQ: SOFO), the trusted market leader for video management and academic, enterprise and event webcasting, today announced that Gartner, the world’s leading information technology research and advisory company, has named Sonic Foundry a sample vendor in five Gartner Hype Cycles for 2012, including Content Management, Big Data, Networking & Communications, Education and Contact Center Infrastructure.

Sonic Foundry has been recognized for video content management and delivery (VCMD) specifically in the technology areas of Content Management, Networking & Communication, and Contact Center Infrastructure. VCMD encompasses software, hardware and Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings intended to manage and facilitate the delivery of video online in an on-demand and possibly live fashion. Sonic Foundry is also a sample vendor for video search, the ability to search within a collection of videos, in the area of Big Data. 

“Video has value in its ability to transcend language and skills, and it narrows the gap between novice and expert for visually complex tasks. Gartner sees growing interest in VCMD from organizations seeking to unify their video strategies for live and on-demand one-to-any capabilities,” reported Whit Andrews, Gartner research analyst in the Hype Cycle for Content Management, 2012. According to Andrews in the Hype Cycle for Big Data, 2012, “making video easier to locate will boost the use of nontextual elements in training and communications in the enterprise.” 

In addition to being recognized for VCMD and video search, Sonic Foundry was also named as a sample vendor for lecture capture and retrieval tools in education. Lecture capture tools perform live recordings of a lecture, including voice and relevant visual material and help students retrieve the whole lecture or the parts of the lecture relevant to his or her learning needs. 

“Lecture capture and retrieval tools have been shown to have some positive effect on student grades and retention, and they promise to be important pedagogical tools,” reported Marti Harris, Gartner research analyst in the Hype Cycle for Education, 2012. “The ability to index lectures and to offer playback of selected passages has proven key to these positive results.” 

“Sonic Foundry understands the incredible value in quickly publishing, retrieving and measuring the impact of enterprise video. Our powerful Mediasite EX platform excels at making video as useful as text by managing video and all its associated metadata to provide users the most searchable, interactive and valuable content,” said Gary Weis, chief executive officer of Sonic Foundry. “We believe our inclusion as a sample vendor for VCMD and video search in Gartner’s Hype Cycles reaffirms the importance of our Mediasite solution across all enterprise sectors.” 

Gartner’s 2012 Hype Cycle Special Report provides strategists and planners with an assessment of the maturity, business benefit and future direction of more than 1,900 technologies, grouped into 92 distinct Hype Cycles, each giving a snapshot perspective of a key area of IT or business. Each Hype Cycle report contains an introduction that highlights hey trends, such as advances in technological capabilities and changes in the provider marketplace.

Trusted by educational institutions, corporations and government entities, the patented Mediasite video content management and webcasting system quickly and cost-effectively automates the capture, management, delivery and search of live and on-demand streaming videos and rich media. 

About the Gartner Hype Cycle

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements or fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed 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) is the trusted market leader for enterprise webcasting solutions, providing video content management and distribution for education, business and government. Powered by the patented Mediasite webcasting platform and webcast services of Mediasite Events, the company empowers people to advance how they share knowledge online, using video webcasts to bridge time and distance, enhance learning outcomes and improve performance.