As I was watching the Oprah show this afternoon, I learned about a concept I had never heard of: the webinar. According to Webopedia.com, a webinar is a presentation, lecture, workshop or seminar that is transmitted over the Internet. What makes Webinars different from webcasts are their interactive elements. Webinars allow participants to give, receive and discuss information, while webcasts are one-way transmissions of data without interaction between the presenter and the audience.
Apparently, Oprah Winfrey is planning to join with best-selling author Eckhart Tolle to host a webinar on her Web site every Monday night. The webinar, which will run for 10 weeks, will focus on the teachings of Tolle’s new book, “A New Earth, Awakening Your Life’s Purpose.” On her Web site, Oprah describes what participants will be able to do with the webinar:
- Watch and participate in the live classroom webcasts
- Ask Oprah and Eckhart Tolle questions before and during class
- Connect with others who are seeking to become more aware of themselves—and the world around them
- Download and save your thoughts in an exclusive workbook
- Access the classroom video archives
In order to participate in her webinar, viewers only need to be a member of Oprah.com and Oprah’s Book Club, which are both free of charge.
This got me thinking about what a great public relations strategy this is for both Oprah and Eckhart Tolle. Millions of people watch Oprah’s show everyday, drawing a huge crowd to her Web site as well. Having an interactive, online class once a week for free is a fool-proof way to attract more viewers and increase sales of Tolle’s book. Besides the financial gains, webcasting is another social media tool that allows broadcasters to effectively get their messages to the public. In Oprah’s case, Tolle’s philosophy and teachings seem like a subject she is very passionate about spreading to people. Webcasting is an excellent choice for her, especially since she has the ability to advertise her webinar and webcast on her television show. I might have to sign up for this webinar just to see what it’s like!
Again, Kelly, great post. When I was a graduate student, I taught distance education through University of Maryland University College. A Webinar seems like a much better way to go than Blackboard for distance education. Thanks for blogging about this new medium!