| One of the greatest, if not the greatest, inventions of | | | | commercial purposes. The first radio program to be |
| our lifetime is the Internet. It is a way to bring together | | | | broadcasted online was in 1993, and it was a talk |
| millions of people from across the world to connect | | | | show about computers and the Internet. A year later, |
| and share information. The Internet offers the user | | | | the music industry would start to utilize the medium. |
| social networking, file sharing, music, and a plethora of | | | | The Rolling Stones broadcasted their concert live on |
| information about every subject you want to know | | | | the Internet. After that, radio stations followed their act |
| about. Radio stations have had to readapt the way | | | | and started to stream their shows online. |
| they operate since the invention and technology of the | | | | As the music hype started to spread via the Internet, |
| Internet. Traditional radio has had a long history and | | | | music file sharing and downloading spread like wild fire. |
| now Internet radio is the current story being written. | | | | There were a lot of controversies from artists and |
| The history of radio online dates back less than | | | | listeners because the music industry took a hit from |
| twenty years and is considered modern history. | | | | decreased record sales and royalties. It was not until |
| Online radio stations were first broadcasted in the | | | | 1998 that President Bill Clinton signed the Digital |
| early 1990s and did not take off right away. The | | | | Millennium Copyright Act which included laws to |
| stations, or websites, had to invent themselves and be | | | | protect musicians and copyrighted material. This |
| presented to reach their target audience. Some radio | | | | means that Internet radio stations have to also pay |
| stations were streaming broadcasts of music, talk | | | | royalties for music. This also meant that music found |
| shows, and some Internet radio is also considered to | | | | online was not free and had to be paid for. |
| be a music library of songs found online. Unlike | | | | By the late 90s, there were thousands, and still are, of |
| traditional radio, online radio can be accessed | | | | Internet Radio programs. Radio stations online stream |
| anywhere in the world, and in turn anyone in the world | | | | live talk show programs and music stations. There are |
| can listen to music from another city, state, country, or | | | | sites that are genre specific, play a mix of different |
| continent. | | | | music, and other that play artists that are unsigned by |
| Originally, the Internet was a medium for | | | | record labels. Having Internet radio has changed the |
| communication, education, and government purposes. | | | | culture and way that people listen to and find music. |
| As the popularity of the World Wide Web grew, | | | | Bands can gain popularity through the Internet. It is |
| Congress approved the Internet to be used for | | | | easier to be heard and get heard. |