Interactive Webinar

[SFDPH Training]

I using the new webex webinar product. I want to be able to have a group discussion with participants able to share their video and audio (like in a meeting). Can I accomplish this by promoting everyone as a panelist? Second question is how to then have breakout rooms. If I have like 50 panelists (after promoting everyone as a panelist) what will happen if I select breakout rooms. Will the panelist be placed in breakout rooms?

[Mary_Gonzales]

Hello -  Yes, you can move Attendees to Panelist role and they will be able to turn on their video.
For Breakout Rooms in Webinars - each one needs to have a Panelist assigned to be the breakout session moderator.  
This video may be of interest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-dwDLc2LwI
I've also posted an "At a Glance" for Breakout sessions.
I know that once a Panelist has been assigned to a Breakout Session Attendees can decide to join any Breakout. 
I need to do some testing to see how it works from the Panelist POV (if they aren't the Breakout Session moderator).

[SFDPH Training]

Thank you Mary. That was helpful but I'm still a little confused. In my webinar with 50 participants if I promote all to panelists so that there can be intergroup discussion, what will happen if I automatically assign people to breakouts? Is it better to demote them back to attendees? The trainers want to have breakout rooms of 2 people in each so they can practice a skill and also have some breakout sessions with 5 people in each. There isn't a real panelist for each group.  Do you have a suggestion? 

[Mary_Gonzales]

If group discussion is most important - would it be possible to host this on Meetings vs. Webinar?   Webinar will require someone at the Panelist level be in a Breakout Session before attendees are allowed into the Breakout.   That is not the case in Meetings. 

[SFDPH Training]

Thank you. Since it's already been set up as a webinar (and people have registered) is there an easy way to change to meeting?

[Mary_Gonzales]

No, you'd have to reschedule it as a Meeting so that's not ideal.  I think if you keep everyone as a Panelist and assign everyone to the Breakout Session as needed.   If you don't have a "Panelist" in the Breakout Session then no one can open their own microphone to speak.
See the screen shot - in your Webinar all your guests will be on the left on the Panelist side and you can assign into the breakout session.   At least one in each - then your panelists will see the list of active breakout sessions and can join the one they want.  

[anthonye]

@Mary_Gonzales I did some testing with this a few weeks ago.  So panelists can unmute themselves freely in a breakout, but attendees can not.  They would have to be unmuted by a host/co host that is in the breakout room.    

As a future enhancement in webinar breakouts, the panelist should be able to unmute attendees.  In fact, they should also be able to unmute all in a breakout.  vote here :  Panelists in Breakout in Webinar Center | User Community Feedback (aha.io)

Also, as another future enhancement, in general, we should be able to use webinar (not meeting) and have the option to have attendees unmute freely.  vote here  allow attendees to un-mute themselves in a | User Community Feedback (aha.io)

[SFDPH Training]

Anthony and Mary. I appreciate your help and quick responses. I decided to move the training to webex meeting. I think that is best because the breakouts are real important to this training so attendees can practice skills. Can you answer 1 (final) question? If (in webex meeting) I elect to randomly assign people to breakouts are cohosts included in the assignments. That is what I want (to exclude cohosts from being assigned to breakouts. I understand that they can join and move between groups later.