Siemens AG: Real-time video feeds at the annual press conference

The annual press conference at the end of the fiscal year in November is regularly one of Siemens AG's most important events. It traditionally attracts a large crowd of national and international media representatives. This year, Head of Communications Lynette Jackson and Head of the Press Office Florian Martens once again welcomed numerous journalists to the company's headquarters at Wittelsbacher Platz in Munich.

However, some correspondents from major international newspapers and news agencies were unable to attend in person and therefore followed the announcement of the record results and the positive outlook for fiscal 2023 by CEO Roland Busch and CFO Ralf P. Thomas via Siemens AG's livestream. Nevertheless, they asked their questions directly and in person to the Executive Board as usual during the question and answer section of the press conference. Image and sound were transmitted live to the event room, enabling a genuine dialogue between the journalists asking the questions and the Group Executive Board.

The technical basis for this new interaction option is a smooth transition from traditional broadcasting to a video conference format —using Techcast's virtual studio. The principle in a nutshell: The event is streamed to an audience of any size. The audience follows the livestream and has the opportunity to ask questions—both in writing as usual and live with video images.

The viewer signals that they have a question by pressing a button on the broadcast page and is taken by the streaming operator to the backstage area of a virtual studio. After a picture and sound test, they are taken directly to the live stage. After asking their question, the person connected switches back to the regular livestream.

Siemens is a pioneer
"With virtual live streaming, first-class online and hybrid events will offer the possibility of full interaction in word and image, regardless of location. I am delighted that the Siemens press department is already using the technology as an early adopter to the benefit of journalists," says Rosie Schuster, founder and managing director of Techcast, on the use of real-time video connections at the Siemens annual press conference.

At larger press conferences or other events in broadcasting format, online participants have usually submitted their questions in writing, and the moderator has then read them out in the event hall. Siemens is one of the first companies to enable real-time video connections during a press conference.

With its virtual studio, Techcast complements high-quality digital events with professional production capabilities. The decision by the German Bundestag this summer to permanently allow virtual general meetings of stock corporations provided the impetus for the development of real-time video connections within the virtual studio. A prerequisite for holding virtual general meetings is the unrestricted protection of shareholder rights. Thanks to live feeds, online participants in the general meetings can properly contribute to the general debate and ask their questions live, just as they would at an in-person event.

A balanced mix of planning and spontaneity
Event organizers are now harnessing the potential of virtual studios and real-time video feeds for a wide variety of event formats. The advantage: the organizing team retains control and can bring participants onto the stage in a targeted manner after a preliminary technical check.

Another smart solution that is also part of the virtual studio is discreet communication with all connected participants via "direct call, " without anyone else backstage or on the live stage noticing. This is also the key difference between this and pure video conferencing. It allows for a balance between spontaneity and planning during the event. The resulting dialogues between the online audience and the actors on stage make the entire interaction more lively and natural. The event gains momentum and variety.

Real-time video feeds are also used at annual general meetings. Seamless integration with AGM portals allows shareholders to deliver their speeches in accordance with all regulatory requirements.