The internet was originally dubbed the information superhighway. This was because the internet effectively provided a means of communications to millions of people. However, its ability to communicate was generally limited to text and photographs. In time, various audio and video delivery systems expanded the way the internet communicates. This is a direct result of the expansion of broadband internet. It is broadband internet that provides the strength and speed in which audio/video files can be effectively transferred.

Podcasts

Now, many blogs and websites are also adding audio and video podcasts to their website. For those unfamiliar with the term, a podcast is a prerecorded broadcast of an audio or video file. All the visitor has to do is click on the file and it will open in a media player. The quality of these files may vary, but the ease of opening and playing them is generally solid. Because of this, they are becoming quite common and the internet is starting to resemble the early days of television and radio with more amateur programming. Keep in mind, amateur is not a bad word. Many amateurs can produce excellent internet programming. Of course, this would not be possible without broadband. If the files took for ever to load most people would simply not have the patience for them.

Live streaming

With broadband internet, it is also possible to broadcast audio and video in a live streaming mode. A stream is essentially an internet version of a live radio or TV broadcast. Just recently, "webcasts" have grown to include live charitable telethons which have raised millions of dollars. While live stream original programming is in the primitive stages, it is bound to grow by leaps and bounds in the near future.

Radio and Streaming

Actually, a mix of radio broadcasts and internet streaming is presently available. In previous generations, the ability to listen to a radio station was based on proximity to the signal. If you lived in Oregon you were not going to pick up a radio signal from Florida. Today, thanks to broadband, one can listen to internet streams of live radio station broadcasts no matter where the signal is located. This means that virtually every radio station in the world can be listened from anywhere in the world. This allows radio stations to greatly expand their audience and their advertising revenue to a greater degree than what was thought possible.

Broadband has greatly impacted the expansion of internet communications. Because broadband allows these files to be opened easily, a new and innovative communications medium has evolved. And it is continuing to evolve.