A way to understand about Boatman, broadcast digitally (8)
I believe the answer is:
streamed
'broadcast digitally' is the definition.
(streamed online)
'a way to understand about boatman' is the wordplay.
'a way' becomes 'st' (abbreviation for street).
'to understand' becomes 'read' (read can mean to understand or analyse).
'about' is an insertion indicator.
'boatman' becomes 'me' (where the crossword setter is 'Boatman').
'read' going around 'me' is 'reamed'.
'st'+'reamed'='STREAMED'
(Other definitions for streamed that I've seen before include "Waved" , "sorted by ability" , "like some chosen schoolchildren?" .)