Videoconferencing and webcasting

Communication technologies, such as videoconferencing and webcasting can be used in a traditional conference setting to transmit the interpretation to any participant not attending in person. However, the corporate world and public sector alike are moving away from systematic face-to-face meetings, and interpreters are now being asked to translate in situations where all the participants are in remote locations. Typically we are talking about short presentations, a corporate message or a quarterly stock market analyst report, and this form of remote interpretation can be very successful, offering cost-effective, seamless translation into multiple languages. That success is, however, dependent on several important conditions being met: first and foremost, it is advisable to work with a webcasting provider who has experience of events with simultaneous interpretation and who can provide the necessary technical set-up for the interpreters; secondly, it is crucial for the interpreters to receive all relevant documentation well beforehand; and finally it is vital for the sound to be of at least equivalent quality to the sound quality in a non-remote setting. Bear in mind too that this form of interpretation may be subject to a copyright fee for the interpreters, especially if the sound files are posted online or stored for subsequent use.