A live webcast from the heart of the Adirondack Mountains, a region declared “Forever Wild” in 1892 by Governor Teddy Roosevelt.

The parking lot was full of Sat Trucks, whose lines to their cameras were stacked behind a table with two laptop computers. This was http://WWW.SteveWeedProductions.Com. This is where the local television video and audio were uplinked, and taken to the local Television Station’s Board via the Internet.

This was experimentation for local television, but not so for Steve Weed Productions, who has been providing CSPAN-like webcasts for 10 years.

The Miss New York State Pageant was webcasted by Steve Weed 10 years ago. Many consider 10 years to be long term. That was before the 2001 Broadband Reports during the Afghanistan War.

Live Election Debates have been webcasted by Steve Weed Productions for years, and posted on sites for later viewing.

The notion that this webcast was cobbled together with chewing gum and wire shows is out of sync.

This low cost and high quality alternative has been available. The wire has been ready to be attached for years.

We often credit technology for what is pioneered by talent and experience.

Technology evolves. ISDN broadcasts are now carried on broadband. EVDO and High Speed Cable offers more today than yesterday.

But, it is still about the content. Many believe we are in the Information Age. I believe we are in the Age of Communications, and that content is the load that is delivered.

Today there are many more users attaching their computers to their HDTVs. The audience is now comprised of viewers who use Skype or 2 Way Videos on games.

The colleges in the Channel 7′s Market are generating a sophisticated viewing audience, as their grandparent now play with their Wiis.

There is no secret in how webcasts work. Just long term experience able to deliver to a sophisticated audience.

Congratulations to Channel 7 on their Election Night Coverage. They have developed a way to broadcast and blog on their site, and their television station, too. Their live broadcasts from 3 different Election Night Sites was unparalleled by any of their competitors.

I confirmed that their coverage was viewed on every continent but Antartica.

Development means applied research. Does this local television development mean better coverage?

This Election had very little coverage of the 3 candidates during the campaign, as the Congressional District is geographically large. One County is twice the size of the State of Delaware.

Channel 7 has shown it can provide high quality and low cost broadcasts for newsworthy events from its remote regions.

Will others follow?

The benchmark will be traffic and content delivered.