This first group of advantages applies to both prerecorded and real-time presentations.

Flexibility. One advantage of mediated presentations is increased flexibility. Unlike face-to-face presentations, where you need to be at a specific place at a specific time, real-time technologies (such as videoconferencing) allow audience members to be at multiple (and presumably more convenient) locations. Prerecorded speeches also can be viewed at different locations and at different times. You may choose to sign up for an online public speaking class because of the flexibility it offers for your schedule.

Savings. Both forms of mediated presentations can save time and money. It can be expensive for an organization to bring everyone who should hear a message to a common location. The travel involved also places demands on participants’ time. Rather than having the audience come to the speech, mediated technology can more efficiently bring the speech to the audience.

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Audience Size. Attendance at a face-to-face presentation is limited to the number of people who can be accommodated in the available space and who can be there at the designated time. Because mediated presentations can be viewed by audiences in different locations and even at different times (for prerecorded speeches), they give you an opportunity to address a greater number of people.