Seminar Series: The UGC Revolution: Transforming China’s Cultural and Creative Industries

Presented by Anthony Fung

The presentation aims to understand the concept of “digital labour” within China’s cultural and creative industries. By examining recent market data amidst the economic downturn, I argue that the mainstream market of digital platforms has reached a bottleneck in terms of profit and revenue expansion. To sustain content production and market revenues, these digital platforms must seek lower-cost production methods and adopt a blue ocean strategy. In the name of content and market convergence, digital platforms that once relied heavily on professionally generated content (PGC) are now turning to the user-generated content (UGC) market for profitability. Examples of this shift include the incubation of indie musicians on QQ Music, the expansion of spaces for the AGC (Anime, Comics, and Games) market, and the rise of micro-celebrities and micro-dramas supported by Multi-Channel Networks (MCNs). The rise of this UGC-driven cultural economy not only aligns with national interests by absorbing the oversupply of young labour force and university graduates, but it also caters to the more flexible and “slash” lifestyle preferred by the new generation. This shift towards individually platform-contracted jobs reflects a broader trend towards flexibility and diversification in the labour market.

Anthony Y.H. Fung is Dean of Faculty of Social Science and Director of Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He is also Professor in the School of Art and Communication at Beijing Normal University. His research interests focus on digital platforms, popular culture, youth and cultural studies, cultural industries and policy. He is editor-in-chief of Global Media and China and co-editor of International Journal of Cultural Studies. He is also a Creative PEC Research Fellow.

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About Creative PEC’s Seminar Series

Creative PEC’s Creative Economy Seminar Series presents cutting-edge research from around the globe, bridging conversations within academia, policy, and creative practice. The series aims to spark discussion on emerging research and its implications for creative industries policy.

Who the seminars are for:
– Creative industries researchers
– Policymakers (local, regional + national)
– Anyone keen to find out more about emerging creative economy research

Each seminar will be held online, and begins with a deep-dive on new research followed by a Q&A. Make space for an hour each month to keep up to date with the latest ideas in creative economy research.

For any questions about the Seminar Series, please get in touch with us at research@pec.ac.uk

90 Minute Seminar, note this event is taking place in person at Newcastle University Business School.

Friday 6 December 2024 | 14:00 GMT | Newcastle University Business School, Room 2.03

No need to book, just turn up.

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