Lewin Group founder James Lewin’s recent article for IT World, 2006 Will Be a Tipping Point for Online Media, takes a look at the changing world of online media:

For the first ten years of mainstream Internet use, online media has been considered alternative – an alternative to television, radio, print and magazines. Online media had a limited audience, largely a result of bandwidth limitations, but also because web builders were still figuring out how to use Internet multimedia effectively.

10 years on, broadband penetration in the home is pushing 40% in the US, and is much higher in some areas of the world. Just as importantly, many sites are finding ways to use online media effectively. For these reasons and others, it looks like 2006 will be a tipping point for online media.