China Media and Entertainment Weekly News Bulletin – Issue 1 (Week of 3 June 2024)
We’d like to introduce you to our latest newsletter.
Called China Media and Entertainment News and published weekly, it provides a quick, easy to read, overview of the media and entertainment scene to keep you up to date with the essentials.
In this issue we look at:
(1) New Regulations for Micro-dramas Come Into Effect
New regulations for managing micro-dramas came into effect on 1st June, which now mean unreviewed and unfiled micro-dramas cannot be shared online.
The “Apple Tax” is a controversial issue in China, with the commission rate of 30% charged on transactions in its App Store the highest globally.
(3) 98% of Live Streamers in China Struggle to Make Ends Meet
Many young people in China are looking for a laid-back lifestyle and some easy money as live streamers, but the reality is much harsher.
(4) New Small-town Literature Trend Gains Popularity
A new photography trend, dubbed “small-town literature” is gaining popularity featuring vintage clothes, rundown backdrops and sad music.
(5) Charlie Puth to Guest Star on The Singer 2024
The production team of “The Singer 2024” announces Grammy nominated singer songwriter Charlie Puth will be a one-time guest on the show.
(6) Yang Zi Replaces Dilraba as Endorsement Queen
Chinese drama goddess Dilraba Dilmurat was the queen of endorsements in the entertainment industry, but she now faces a challenger for the title.
(1) New Regulations for Micro-dramas Come Into Effect
(Photo Source: Kuaishou)
New regulations for managing micro-dramas came into effect on 1st June, which now mean unreviewed and unfiled micro-dramas cannot be shared online.
As of 1st June 2024, 3,309 sets of micro-dramas (a combination of around 227,000 episodes) have been approved. Amongst those approved, 189 have titles with the keyword “CEO”, 109 have titles with “Young and beautiful wife” and 80 have titles with “Divorce”.
The new regulations introduce industry supervision, territorial management, and platform responsibilities, aiming to improve administrative efficiency, content quality and prevent the spread of inappropriate material.
Under the new regulations, key micro-short dramas with a total investment of one million yuan or up will be managed by the National Radio and Television Administration. Ordinary micro-short dramas with a total investment between 300,000 yuan (inclusive) and one million yuan will be reviewed by provincial-level radio and television departments.
Based on news from: Chinanews.com|微短剧新规来了，带来什么变化？
(2) Apple Tax in China
(Photo Source: Apple)
The “Apple Tax” is a controversial issue in China, with the commission rate of 30% charged on transactions in its App Store the highest globally.
In 2023, the aggregated “Apple Tax” in China was over 40 billion yuan. If the rates remain unchanged, it is estimated the accumulated tax over the next five years will exceed 280 billion yuan.
Recently, the verdict for an anti-monopoly lawsuit against the Apple Tax initiated by customers was handed down. The Court defined the relevant market as the iOS application trading platform, where Apple holds a 100% market share.
While the Court did not find that Apple abused its market dominance, this has brought breakthroughs in market definition and the recognition of Apple’s market dominance.
Based on news from HK01: 一審原告敗訴：全球最高「蘋果稅」在中國，合理嗎
(3) 98% of Live Streamers in China Struggle to Make Ends Meet
(Photo Source: Agencychina.com)
At the end of 2023, there were up to 1.55 billion short video and live streaming accounts in China with 15.08 million individuals embracing live streaming as their primary profession.
Over 60% of live streamers are aged between 18 and 29, attracted by the chance to lead a laid-back lifestyle and earn quick money. One interviewee who had worked in the media industry in Shanghai for several years, noted the average monthly salary for young people entering the workforce was 4,000 to 5,000 yuan.
But according to a survey, 95.2% of live streamers earn less than 5,000 yuan per month, with only 0.4% making over 100,000 yuan per month, which means 2% of live streamers capture 80% of potential earnings, leaving the remaining 98% struggling to make ends meet.
A live streamer generating online traffic could earn up to 80 cents per follower on a platform like Douyin, but the reality is that while some non-professionals can build an online following, the successful sites often have a professional team behind the scenes.
Based on news from HK01: 內地1508萬人把直播當主業惟前景成疑 學者：98%恐難以溫飽
(4) New Small-town Literature Trend Gains Popularity
(Photo Source: Xiaohongshu @木木小念)
A new photography trend, dubbed “small-town literature” is gaining popularity across lifestyle platforms like Xiaohongshu and Douyin.
Videos on Douyin have gained over 420 million views, with one of the most popular reposted over 390,000 times.
The main feature of the new trend, which has been boosted by a growing interest in travel to small towns and rural counties, are a series of pictures of young people in vintage clothing set against weathered buildings or in small narrow streets which are then posted on lifestyle platforms like Xiaohongshu with a backdrop of sad music.
Tourists usually hire local photographers who know the area and the best locations to take a series of posed shots, with prices ranging from around 100 yuan, to several thousand for a well-known photographer.
While some hail the new style as a nostalgic expression of the challenges facing small-town youth, critics say the pictures are usually too melancholic and reinforce negative stereotypes of small towns as rundown.
This trend is believed to be inspired by the work of a photographer known as “Crow JEWEY” who posted photos showing recreations of small-towns from the 1990s on Xiaohongshu.
Based on news from:
HK01 |｢走進縣城拍一張，轉身就文藝復興｣縣城文學流量中暗藏｢北漂密碼｣
Sixth Tone | China’s ‘Small-Town Literature’ Trend Turns Rural Into Retro
(5) Charlie Puth to Guest Star on The Singer 2024
(Source: Fact-magazine.com)
The production team of “The Singer 2024” announced that Grammy nominated singer songwriter Charlie Puth will be a one-time guest on the show.
Puth is well-known for hits like “See You Again” and “We Don’t Talk Anymore”.
Based on news from: HK01 | 歌手2024｜Charlie Puth確定加盟 網民驚訝：這節目太有錢了！
(6) Yang Zi Replaces Dilraba as Endorsement Queen
(Photo Source: ELLE, the fashion magazine)
Post-90s Chinese drama goddess Dilraba Dilmurat was the queen of endorsements in the entertainment industry. She is an actress, model and singer of Uyghur descent, who is best known for her roles in Pretty Li Hui Zhen, Eternal Love and Diamond Lover.
At her peak, she was named as “The Business of Fashion 500 Class of 2023” and had over 30 endorsement deals, setting a record for advertiser investment of 3.7 billion yuan (approximately 4 billion Hong Kong dollars) in advertising fees.
But she seems to have lost her streak recently with only 18 endorsements, following a host of negative reviews and poor reception of her two latest dramas.
Which seems to have opened the door for her major rival Yang Zi to take a shot at the title thanks to the popularity of her new TV show Lost You Forever which has secured her 12 more endorsement deals than she signed last year. Yang Zi has a total of 20 endorsements, surpassing Dilraba. Debuted at the age of 7, she has been nominated for multiple awards. She is also known for her roles in Home with Kids, Battle of Chang Sha, Go Go Squid!, and Immortal Samsara.
Other worth-noting Chinese stars who are highly valued by advertisers recently are: Zhao Lusi, Esther Yu, and Bai Lu.
Based on news from: Oriental Daily | 中娛星動：劇壇戰火蔓延 「95花」伺機突圍 熱巴失勢 楊紫攝位做廣告女王
