From Connectivity to Commercialization: How High-Speed Networks Reshape Short-Video and Live-Streaming Media

The evolution of high-speed networks, from 4G to 5G and toward 6G, has profoundly reshaped online media. Short-video and live-streaming platforms have become dominant forms, supported by low latency, high bandwidth and ubiquitous connectivity. This paper examines three questions: how high-speed networks affect short-video media, how they affect live-streaming media, and what distinguishes the two in recommendation mechanisms and commercial conversion. It develops a conceptual framework with illustrative simulations and a descriptive case. The study first outlines core technical affordances. It then analyzes short-video media, focusing on content production, dissemination, and a simplified fixed-content scoring model, explored through a logistic-regression simulation. The discussion subsequently turns to live streaming, introducing live-specific algorithms and a time-varying feedback loop from content to commercialization, illustrated by a manually compiled handicraft case. This study also addresses challenges, including the digital divide, bandwidth pressure, and content moderation, and outlines future directions toward 6G and AI-driven optimization. These findings offer a reference framework for sustainable digital media development and cultural dissemination.