Austrian Broadcaster Selects Virage Webcasting for Internal Communications

ORF to Keep Employees on Top of the Latest News With Real-Time Webcasts


SAN MATEO, Calif., Feb. 19, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Virage, Inc. (Nasdaq:VRGE), a leading provider of video and rich media communication software, today announced that the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation, Osterreichischer Rundfunk (ORF), has selected the Virage VS Webcasting(tm) application to aid in its internal communications with employees. ORF is one of the largest broadcasters in Europe with more than 2,600 on its staff.

"We're very excited about the Virage webcasting solution," said Andreas Gall, technical director at ORF. "As a broadcaster, ORF has always been committed to providing the latest, breaking news to its audience. Now, we're making that same commitment to our employees. Whether it's an update on a news story of the day or a message from our CEO, we'll be able to reach our entire staff immediately by webcasting the information."

VS Webcasting is the first software solution that empowers organizations to efficiently manage the entire workflow for producing live and on-demand webcast events. Already deployed today by Virage customers for executive communications, human resource briefings, and sales and marketing communications, VS Webcasting enables organizations to deliver both live and on-demand interactive webcasts that include audio and video synchronized with Powerpoint(r) slides, other related documents, audience polls and surveys, and Q&A. In addition, VS Webcasting includes advanced authentication, registration and reporting modules.

VS Webcasting was designed to facilitate communication anywhere, anytime for organizations to promote knowledge delivery via the Internet and corporate Intranets. VS Webcasting instantly records each live webcast, making it available for on-demand search and review moments after the presentation ends. Through the use of the Virage SmartEncode(tm) process, viewers can search for and view just the portions of the on-demand presentation that they want to watch. Viewers, who watch an on-demand replay, also have the ability to respond to polls, submit questions, and access related documents during the presentation.

Built upon the company's award-winning rich media content management platform, which includes the Virage SmartEncode(tm) suite of products and Virage Solution Server(tm), VS Webcasting offers the following benefits:


 -- Complete workflow support from event scheduling through reporting
 -- Significant cost savings versus satellite communications and
    outsourced webcasts
 -- Better, more frequent communication with employees, partners, and
    customers
 -- One-click conversion to a searchable, on-demand webcast
 -- Auto-archiving of media files to ECDNs
 -- Engaging and interactive viewer experience
 -- Low and high bandwidth options to maximize audience reach
 -- Simple web-based wizard workflow enables anyone to be a webcast
    producer 
 -- Scalable to thousands of concurrent users
 -- Deployable behind company firewalls for added security
 -- Closed-loop feedback through detailed user-level event reporting

VS Webcasting software supports the Oracle9i database platform for added scalability and flexibility. Additionally, Virage participates actively in the Cisco Systems Inc. AVVID (Architecture for Voice, Video and Integrated Data) Program, ensuring that VS Webcasting integrates seamlessly with Cisco's Enterprise Content Networking Delivery (ECDN) solutions.

For more information about VS Webcasting, including product specifications, a whitepaper, and a self-running product demonstration, please go to http://webcasting.virage.com. To reach Virage sales, please call +1 (650) 372-3496.

About Virage

Established in 1995, Virage is a leading provider of video and rich media communication software. Virage builds integrated rich media business solutions for corporations, media & entertainment companies, universities and government agencies worldwide. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, Virage (www.virage.com) has offices throughout the United States and Europe.

Virage and VideoLogger are registered trademarks. The Virage logo, SmartEncode, VS Webcasting, VS Publishing, VS Production, MediaSync, Virage ControlCenter and Virage Solution Server are trademarks of Virage, Inc. Other company product and service names may be trademarks or service marks of others, and are hereby acknowledged.



            

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