The Evolution of Video and Audio Streaming

According to a media research firm, streaming video has surpassed over-the-air television in popularity in the United States as of June 2021.

FREMONT, CA: People had to buy a modem, connect it to their computer and a phone line, then dial the phone number for their local internet service provider when the internet first became popular in the mid-to-late 1990s. The connections were painfully slow.

When the web was first created in the 1960s, it was not designed to stream audio or video. Still, enterprising developers discovered a way to help customers listen to real-time audio, and the first live audio streaming event was broadcast on Sept. 5, 1995. At first, it was innovative, and there was not much long-form content. No one was going to sit down and view a movie on their home computer because of the excruciatingly sluggish connections and buggy software.

In just a few years, technology has advanced to the point where streaming video and audio has become increasingly common. Over-the-top services provided live movies and television, and content companies launched their own video streaming networks, while internet behemoths followed suit. On-demand, one can view old classic TV shows or the most recent movies. Streaming audio has also progressed. With music services, one can listen to live sports worldwide or turn the computer or smartphone into a bespoke radio station. People listen to true-crime podcasts or the latest audiobooks on their way to work or the grocery store.

In the previous decade, audio and video streaming became popular enough for cable and satellite TV providers to cut the cord and cancel their subscriptions in favor of cheaper streaming choices. According to a media research firm, streaming video has surpassed over-the-air television in popularity in the United States as of June 2021. Streamers had a 26 percent market share, compared to 25 percent for over-the-air TV. Although this may not seem like much, mainly because cable TV still has a 39 percent market share, streaming media is expected to expand in the future, while cable subscriptions are expected to shrink.

One may have even taken part in a live streaming broadcast. Many people dialed in for remote meetings or online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Live audio, and video streaming may be done simultaneously in one broadcast using tools. It is similar to when phone companies promised us videophones in the mid-twentieth century but better.