In E. M. Forster's sf story "The Machine Stops" (1909), something is described that is very like the Internet. People sit in their rooms & give TV lectures to worldwide audiences. As described, they seem to be real-time, but one gathers that they are archived, because lectures that refer to other lectures are praised. It is not shown how one signs up to give a lecture, but it seems anyone can do it. When one is not giving lectures there is a great and sometime irritating press of telephone calls, but it is all viva voce.