Instant Global Radio, Or Web Radio, Is The Latest Manifestation Of The

Instant global radio, or Web radio, is the latest manifestation of the Internet's multimedia successor, the World Wide Web. Improved technology and content are turning Web radio into a mass medium. (Hickman 30) The Web radio concept is mainly underlined by the concept of Webcasting, or broadcasting station content over the Internet. Online users who visit the Web pages of Webcasting stations can find archived and live audio covering news, business, sports, and many different types of music. (Thomas 38) Although the most prominent reason for the increase in Web radio activity is advancement in related technology, there are multiple other reasons. The key has been the development of software that allows a digital recording stored on a computer to be transmitted over the Internet and played instantly and continuously as it is received by the listener's computer. (Your Very Own 516) This technique is known as streaming, and was pioneered by RealNetworks. In the streaming process, the digitized clips are sent over the Internet as a stream of compressed data packets. (O'Malley 64) Free audio-player software that works with Web browsers then decompresses and assembles these packets at the user's computer and automatically plays them back as they are received. Streaming systems typically use a buffering system that stores an extra few seconds worth of data to prevent Internet "hiccups" from disrupting the steady flow of audio ? not unlike the shock-protection systems on portable compact disc players. (O'Malley 64) As reported in 1995, listening to broadcasts on your computer is akin to dialing in a tinny transistor radio on the fringes of reception area ? even with hotshot multimedia speakers. (Silverthorne A1) Advancements have made it so Web-based audio now offers near-CD quality, even over a modem of average speed. (Hickman 30) The broadcast quality depends largely on the amount of traffic on the Internet. (Your Very Own 516) Sites will have varying degrees of quality, and the only way to ensure pure transmission is a fast connection from a fast site. On September 5, 1995, the first broadcast of a Major League Baseball game was made over the Internet on ESPN's Web site. The next week, ABC Radio Net became the first organization to provide live Internet newscasts, with coverage of the O.J. Simpson trial. (Silverthorne A1) These early firsts by big-name network stations sparked the initial interest in Web radio, and the networks have been the biggest contributors towards the widening spectrum of quality content, as well as setting professional standards for content. In Spring of 1998, ABC Radio Network signed a deal with Real Networks to broadcast all 27 of ABC's radio stations on the Web. (Hickman 30) Despite network advancement, the sheer number of Internet-only Webcasters has helped to ensure better content, wider variety, and more Web radio usage. (Thomas 39) Where before there were difficulties with waveband congestion, access to unlimited space for Webcasters has become available through the Internet to virtually anyone, and p ositions even small alternative stations with potential to thrive alongside mainstream powerhouses. (Internet Radio 1) The biggest fans of Web radio include people who have moved away from an area and like to tune in an Internet site to check the news or sports from their previous home town. Web radio also is popular with people who have exotic musical tastes and want to sample sounds that aren't available from traditional broadcasters in their area. In addition, some people like to listen to commentary, or comedy programs playing in the background as they surf other sites. (Thomas 41) Web radio, unlike the old sort, is interactive. Screens can supplement radio sound with song titles, liner notes and banner advertisements. Listeners can chat to each other, rate songs or click on a banner ad to buy a disc of the music they've just heard ? all while listening to the radio. (Internet Radio 1) Many music Webcasters get payment for generating these types of music sales. Audio ads as normally run by traditional commercial stations can take up ten to fifteen minutes per hour. Audio ads on the Web usually take up a mere three minutes. This lost advertising is made up in the visual portion of the Website, and the broadcast itself suffers from little

Cultural Context Sample Essay

Cultural Context Sample EssayA sample essay, also known as a cultural context essay, is an essay that gives the student a taste of what you could be expecting in an actual college level essay. Students who choose to take the culture context sample essay should expect to be challenged and give examples of critical thinking. The topics will help the student see what they should avoid when writing a college-level essay.The purpose of this type of essay is to help students decide if they should continue on with writing an essay or if they should do something else. Often times students write a paper based on their interests and in some cases the students know they are supposed to give an essay about a certain topic. This is just one of many reasons that the essay should not be written by hand or using a computer. It should be a hand-written essay because students should be able to see if they made a mistake or they did something wrong in a written essay.With the cultural context sample es say students will get to see how a typical student who has never been to another country would write a paper. They can use phrases and sentence structures that will work with another culture. You have to make sure that when writing about the culture that it is well researched. You want to make sure that your essay is well researched because it will show. They need to have a certain amount of research on the culture that they are writing about before they go into their essay.When writing a cultural context sample essay you need to keep things light and fun. They should be simple and it should have lots of characters but do not include any vulgar language in it. Keep it clean and well written. This helps the student to become confident with the way they write in general.The reason that it is important for students to write a cultural context sample essay is because you do not want them to put themselves out there for the wrong reasons. They do not want to embarrass themselves so they should remember to write a good cultural essay for their essay. If they follow the rules for the essay then they will write a good essay. They do not have to worry about being humiliated because they will not know what they are doing wrong until they start to write it.Once the student has written the essay they need to know what to do next. The easiest way to handle a culture context sample essay is to make sure they realize that they should not be embarrassed when they write it. Many times students get embarrassed when they do not know what to write about and they need to know they do not have to worry about it. They do not have to write what they think they should write because if it is something that they know is true they should write it.Students should make sure that they have a notebook that is filled with ideas to consider when they start writing. The topics should help them know what to look for in an essay. They should be able to look at a topic and determine if it is going to be right for their essay.The essay should be very easy to understand and explain how each culture related to each other culture. Do not make it hard for yourself. If you want to make it difficult, make sure that you always add a twist to your culture background. This will help make it easier for the student to understand it and be able to write an accurate cultural background essay.