With Podcasts, a Generation of Young Chinese Find Their Voice

//Podcasts have received an inadvertent boost from the deteriorating landscape of Chinese social media platforms, some of which have become inundated with hate speech, sensationalism, and promotional content, according to Fang Kecheng, an assistant professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong who researches digital media in China. “Among young Chinese, there’s increasing anxiety and antipathy toward social media,” Fang tells Sixth Tone. “When you’re tired of all the hate and irrationality circulating online and want to listen to lighthearted and civilized discussion, you tune in to a podcast.” “When it comes to monetizing the podcast industry, there’s a paradox,” says Fang, the communications professor. “On the one hand, we want creators to be better off financially. But on the other hand, traditional business models might turn podcasting into just another iteration of the ‘attention economy,’ causing it to lose its charm.” It’s also unrealistic to expect podcasting to remain unfettered by the limitations that apply to other public media in China, he says.//