Streaming Media

As a concept in media, streaming describes the networked delivery of audio or video data that are rendered immediately upon arrival on a digital device, rather than being stored there first. In other words, an audio or video file does not have to be downloaded from a remote location before it can be played but starts playing as soon the data arrive onto the device.

The emergence of streaming as a dominant mode of media consumption signified two major shifts in the media and content markets. First, it transformed how content is delivered, and second, it brought significant change to the business models associated with media and content marketplaces as well as the types of companies who operate in those spaces.