China’s digital media industries and the challenge of overseas markets

Abstract

© 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

The influence of China on the world stage is beyond question; however, this influence is most evident in the realm of economics. Since the early 2000s China’s media and cultural industries have made a concerted effort to enter international markets. In recent years China’s leading online and digital platforms have become linked to the so-called ‘culture going out’ campaign; they contribute to ‘the call of government’ by revitalizing Chinese cultural products/services and promoting them through online consumption experiences on their affiliated platforms. This paper examines the extent of these Chinese digital companies’ capabilities in the great rejuvenation of China’s culture. The paper also considers the problem of reporting on the reception of China’s film and television outside China. It argues that while online platforms are getting the message out, Chinese products are primarily targeted at the domestic audience and the already converted, those in the Chinese diaspora. This online model of dissemination in turn has implications for how academics use the term ‘media industry.’.