An method for improving the ability of a recipient to review time-sensitive media upon receipt when network conditions are poor. The method includes ascertaining if media to be sent from a sending node to a receiving node is time-sensitive and ascertaining if there is sufficient bandwidth for transmitting a full bit rate representation of the media at a first bit rate and at a first packetization interval. If the bandwidth is sufficient, the full bit rate representation is transmitted. If the bandwidth is insufficient, then a reduced bit rate representation of the media is generated and transmitted. The reduced bit rate representation is generated by performing one or more of the following (i) using fewer bits per unit time of media when packetizing the media relative to the full bit rate representation; (ii) increasing the packetization interval for the packets used to transmit the reduced bit rate representation; and (iii) adjusting the rate of transmission of the packets used to packetized the reduced bit rate representation of the media.