I don't think it's far fetched for someone in the late 19th century to imagine an automated, in-home telegraph system that printed out content for someone to read. Someone might have even had their university assignments sent over telegraph in an emergency. I believe Western Union used to deliver telegrams (via telegraph) on demand for customers.
Stock updates were also sent automatically over telegraph starting in the 1870s for anyone that owned a ticker tape machine[1]. There were also teleprinters that sent news stories and other information to those that owned them.
Fax machines were also invented in the mid 19th Century and allowed for the transmission of signatures and drawings over telegraph[2].
The basics for an asynchronous, global communication system have been around since the 1800s, just not as cheap and user friendly as what we enjoy today.
Stock updates were also sent automatically over telegraph starting in the 1870s for anyone that owned a ticker tape machine[1]. There were also teleprinters that sent news stories and other information to those that owned them.
Fax machines were also invented in the mid 19th Century and allowed for the transmission of signatures and drawings over telegraph[2].
The basics for an asynchronous, global communication system have been around since the 1800s, just not as cheap and user friendly as what we enjoy today.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ticker_tape
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantelegraph