Editing RealAudio (section)

{{Short description|Audio format}}
{{Infobox file format
| name          = RealAudio
| icon          = 
| logo          = 
| screenshot    = RealAudio.webp
| caption       = 
| extension     = {{mono|.ra}}, {{mono|.ram}}
| mime          = audio/vnd.rn-realaudio, audio/x-pn-realaudio<ref>[http://service.real.com/help/faq/rp8/configrp8win.html RealPlayer 8 FAQ]</ref>
| type code     = 
| uniform type  = 
| magic         = 
| owner         = 
| genre         = 
| container for = 
| contained by  = 
| extended from = 
| extended to   = 
| standard      = 
| released      = {{start date and age|1995|4}}
| website       = {{web archive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040404115218/http://www.realnetworks.com/products/codecs/realaudio.html|title=realnetworks.com}}
}}
'''RealAudio''', also spelled '''Real Audio''', is a proprietary [[audio file format|audio format]] developed by [[RealNetworks]] and first released in April 1995. It uses a variety of [[audio codec]]s, ranging from low-bitrate formats that can be used over dialup modems, to high-fidelity formats for music. It can be used as a streaming audio format, that is played at the same time as it is downloaded.

In the past, many [[internet radio]] stations used RealAudio to stream their programming over the internet in real time. In recent years, however, the format has become less common and has given way to more popular audio formats. RealAudio was heavily used by the [[BBC]] websites until 2009, though it was discontinued due to its declining use.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kortekaas |first=Mark |date=2009-10-07 |title=Radio Labs: RealMedia - an update |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/radiolabs/2009/10/realmedia_an_update.shtml |access-date=2024-02-03 |website=bbc.co.uk |language=en}}</ref> [[BBC World Service]], the last of the BBC websites to use RealAudio, discontinued its use in March 2011.