Context: VideoBridgeLiveEvent

Problem: While remote places are connected in a live event by visual media, all kinds of background information may have to be exchanged for the event to run smoothly. There may be a technical problem or a change in the program flow. A hundred things can happen that are not meant to distract the audience.

Solution: Have an additional way of communication in place. "Sensory organs beyond the screen". A chat channel is fine. A skype session is not stable enough and can't be extended for enough people, but it's better than nothing. Mobile phone might fill the void in case of emergency (but does everybody have all phone numbers of everybody else at hand?), but you might need that in addition anyway.

Components and detailed structure: Depending on the complexity of the situation and the number of people envolved, you may need more than one back channel. The technicians might like their own. A discussion channel for the public is often standard, questions being merged into the event eventually (this needs one person attending to the discussion, filtering questions and preparing them for the moderator).

Notes:

• Sometimes it is nice to have a separate screen or beamer for the back channel. This may make it more technically fascinating to the audience. It may make it easier for a number of people, e. g. the moderator, to have a look into the back channels, if he has some spare moments.

• ChatChannel?
• PublicDiscussionChannel?
• EventContactDirectory? - make a central directory for all people involved in an event

FolderVBPatterns