Sara Acosta
China vs Chinese people
It is not unusual to see news concerning the restrictions Chinese people are put under by their government. The latest header regarding the targeting of inoffensive American TV shows like The Big Bang Theory. The Chinese government has been regulating websites streaming foreign TV shows for years, forcing the people living in the People’s Republic of China to find other methods to continue enjoying their favorite shows.
The government of China following a Communist doctrine, would rather have their citizens watching soap operas about their communist revolution. The big dissatisfaction from the people came from the ban of The Big Bang Theory, a harmless story following a group of friends going into the world after college, which many young Chinese relate to as their country, having the largest population in the world, has trouble accommodating those coming out from studies into the workplace. Despite the scarcity of jobs for college-graduates, the Chinese government still worries about the Western influence stirring the youth in the country.
These banned shows—The Walking Dead, Modern Family, House of Cards—are big in the TV industry in the United States and across the world. And while the shows banned had been streamed through private online sources, the government is finding ways to regulate and restrict any sites containing foreign shows, like licensed show buyers Youku—China’s Youtube— and other streaming platforms.
Although China has reformed its economic approach, switching from state socialism to more capitalistic ideas, and creating a rapidly growing economy, negative externalities have affected the country as inequality in income has reached the largest in the world. The ideas of capitalism are yet to be present in all of the country, constricted by the communist government, giving up better relations with other countries as censorship is still on foot in the country. The government is not only taking away means of entertainment for its people, it is also taking away a medium for the Chinese to learn about the culture of other countries, not only from the U.S.
China's TV shows include everything viewers in China do not want to see, and viewers are willing to pay to get their shows back. Chinese streaming platforms have individually payed close $100 million to studios in different countries for licensing deals. The demand for Western shows is such, that these streaming platforms could be making billions in profit from paying viewers. All this money would eventually be lost if the Chinese government continues to shut down these platforms resembling Netflix.
It is expected that more restrictions will come upon TV shows reaching the country, and most of these online streaming platforms, whom will experience huge economic loss. If China’s government were to compare the costs and benefits of abandoning their censorship spree, it would soon realize that its people will be less discontent towards the government and will receive inspiration from these other countries for innovations and opportunities that will make the country grow. It is evident that China’s people is willing to pay for these foreign shows, if China would allow for outside studios to be present in the country, more companies like Youku would expand, consequently expanding China’s economy.
Works Cited
Cendrowski, Scott. "China's Censors Target Streaming." Fortune 1 Mar. 2015: 18, 20. Print.
"China's Censorship Goes into Overdrive with Ban on US TV Dramas." South China Morning Post. Web. 28 Feb. 2015. <http://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1504883/chinas-censorship-goes-overdrive-ban-us-tv-dramas>.
The focus on Chinese video streaming networks similar to Netflix provided interesting insight to the overarching effect of the country’s communist doctrine. I am in agreement with your opinion that, in weighing the cost and benefits, China would gain more from allowing Western television shows to be streamed. Not only would the sheer profits of television and cinema streaming platforms result from less censorship, but a positive externality might be, as you stated, less citizen discontentment of their government.
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting topic that I have never heard about. I would be really sad if I lived in China and could not watch The Walking Dead. I guess it is not a surprise that China does this considering they have such a controlling government. I agree on your view point that China's costs and benefits would be better if they allowed the people to watch their own shows that they wanted. I also wonder if the government controls what the people can and cannot watch on their form of YouTube.
ReplyDeleteI cannot even imagine life without American television. I really don't understand why the Chinese government is so against our shows. They don't promote harm to Chinese people in any way. You did a very good job connecting your topic to the readers, and this was written very well. Good job, Sara!
ReplyDeleteI cannot even imagine life without American television. I really don't understand why the Chinese government is so against our shows. They don't promote harm to Chinese people in any way. You did a very good job connecting your topic to the readers, and this was written very well. Good job, Sara!
ReplyDeleteLike Brittany, I could not imagine life without The Walking Dead or Modern Family! I think it is interesting to see how governments are changing what they need to restrict. Before it was books and now it television shows. The essay was written very well and applied directly to economics. Very interesting to read about!
ReplyDeleteIt still shakes me that some countries are under a communist leader or doctrine. I never really feel that it was ever necessary for them to take so much control, especially over television shows! Does the government even understand that they could gain so much more profit revealing these shows to their people? If I was a person in China, I would not be content with my government, why would I want to watch a soap opera over a hilarious comedy?
ReplyDeleteI couldn't imagine living under a government that prevents me from watching shows I love. How can China's citizens stand their government? On top of that, China shouldn't be worried about the containment of knowledge because almost all countries allow these shows to be streamed and nothing bad has come out of it.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is a really interesting topic I had no clue that China was banning American T.V shows. I don't understand why they would ban American T.V. when that is what the Chinese people want to watch. The Chinese government would rather play shows that no one likes on their T.V. networks rather that shows like Walking Dead that the Chinese people are paying a lot to stream those shows. If the government played popular American T.V. shows on their networks they could make way more money.
ReplyDeleteI've heard multiple accounts of the Chinese government attempting to censor what their people can watch and see and do, but I didn't know they were going this far with American television! I think this is a pretty bad move on their part, because not only are the people going to be mad that their favorite television shows are suddenly gone, the Chinese government isn't going to be making as much money off the shows they provide as opposed to the American television that the people clearly want to see. I think the more the Chinese government attempts to control their people, the more they're going to get lashed out against in the end, and considering China's population and intellect, the government could be in for quite a storm if the people ever get angry. They should tread carefully...
ReplyDeleteIt is unfortunate how long it is taking for the government of China to abandon its tight grip over its people. Since the times of Mao, their policies have reflected those of the legalistic Qin dynasty, but that lasted for a very short period of time. If China continues to restrict economic freedom, and enough people are upset there might be a similar government overthrow.
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