The City has contracted with Swagit Productions, LLC as the video streaming service provider according to Richardson’s Chief Information Officer Steve Graves. Swagit’s client list includes the cities of Allen, Irving and Plano.

“We have installed two wall-mounted cameras in the City Council Chamber and the work session room,” Graves said. “During the meetings, Swagit personnel will operate them remotely from their facility and can zoom in and switch from camera to camera depending on who is speaking. The broadcast signal goes through a switch that sends it to Swagit and also to our cable television channel.”

Graves explained that the live Web cast is routed through a City computer server and is recorded as it is being sent to Swagit.

“If for some reason the live Internet connection is lost, we have a saved copy that can be posted on our site,” he said.

As a work session or Council meeting is streaming live on the Web, Swagit employees tag each agenda item. At the conclusion of the meeting, they create an index on the City’s Web site and visitors can choose to view individual agenda items rather than watch the entire video. Council and work session meetings will be archived on the site for up to a year. The City’s cable channel 16 will replay taped broadcasts.