视频互动，中国娱乐产业的美丽新世界

choi

David Barboza, 视频互动，中国娱乐产业的美丽新世界. 纽约时报中文网, Apr 18, 2014
cn.tmagazine.com/technology/20140418/t18webtv/

, which is translated from

David Barboza, Lucrative Stardom in China, Using a Webcam and a voice; A potential model for the world, where web entertainment is not as profitable. New York Times, Apr 18, 2014 (front page).

Quote:

(a) "Poison 毒药, 26, still lives [in 四川省自贡市] with her parents and her dogs Blueberry and DuDu 嘟嘟 in a modest apartment. But she is one of the most popular attractions in a thriving new business in China: live interactive web entertainment.

"Media and technology companies across the globe have tried for years to attract viewers en masse to live Internet broadcasts, with X-rated websites the only real success stories. China, though, appears to have cracked the code. Millions are now tuning in every night to watch karaoke performances, comedy skits and talk shows * * *

"The shows are typically low-budget productions by amateur entertainers who work out of tiny apartments, fitted with webcams. And viewers spend large sums online to buy credits to give virtual gifts [an idea adopted from the gaming industry] of roses, chocolates and Chanel bags to performers

(b) "the rest of the world * * * is struggling to move profitably into online programming. Services like Netflix and iTunes have prompted some consumers to drop cable. But viewers in the United States and elsewhere are largely sticking with traditional television for live shows.

(c) "The websites mix video feeds with streaming-text commentary from the audience. In the upper left corner of the screen is a running count of how many viewers are in the virtual concert hall. Digital cars — representing the VIPs who spend large sums — speed in and out of the imaginary hall.

(d) "The leader in China in this industry is a fast-growing start-up called YY.com [YY语音]. It has 92 million monthly active users and more than a million channels. David LI 李 学凌, YY’s 40-year-old co-founder and chief executive, says live web entertainment is transforming an industry that has been savaged by copyright infringement and online file-sharing services. 'Now we’ve found a whole new way to rejuvenate the music industry,' Mr Li said. 'This will help entertainers make money.'  Investors are betting he’s right. Shares of YY have soared 500 percent since the company’s public offering on the Nasdaq stock market in late 2012.

(e) "None of this was by design. YY began as an online community dedicated to World of Warcraft, Blizzard Entertainment’s popular role-playing fantasy game. When faster Internet speeds arrived in China, video sharing gave way to live broadcasting. The early adopters were online gamers. Then came singers, DJs, hip-hop dancers and stand-up comedians. The viewers tend to be single men in smaller locales with fewer entertainment options. Many are wealthy enough to spend thousands of dollars to get the V.I.P. privilege of driving a virtual Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster to and from the virtual concert halls during performances. They pay $1,100 for the privilege. * * * ‘Even in the time of Peking Opera, performers were paid with gifts.’ [Which cn.nytimes.com translates as 早在京剧的时代，演员的收入就是靠打赏].

(f) “The most popular performers are female’hostesses,’ [女’主播’] many of whom practice the art of sexual tease. * * * But YY and its competitors insist they abide by the law, which forbids nudity or even behaviors that 'generate sexual fantasies.' * * *Live web shows are empowering amateur entertainers, some of whom can now earn $90,000 annually, nearly 30 times the average Chinese salary.


My comment: I wonder what Chinese think about all the coverage about them. When Soviet Union existed, Western reporters went with handlers to pre-arranged visits, could not leave Moscow without a permit or talk to Muscovites (because government said Soviets could not interact with foreigners). Following the collapse of Soviet Union, Americans talked about Japanese all the time. Now it is Chinese term.