Media Articles

The first article “Chinese Re-Makings of Pirated VCDs of Japanese TV Dramas” by Iwabuchi (2004) shows the complexity of the problem concerning pirated Japanese television dramas and the transitional production. The transitional production is presented here as the VCDs, which help to create pirated copies of the Japanese TV dramas. The author of the article points out that the issue raises concerns about the displacement of roles between Taiwan/Hong Kong and Japan in terms of distributing the Japanese TV dramas. He also addresses the crooked flow, in which the Chinese- made pirated Japanese television show VCD’s are streaming all over the world. In the article, Iwabuchi shows the importance of the VCD as a flexible and appropriate technology for pirating and emphasizes its role in producing and circulating the pirated Japanese TV drama shows.

The steps and reasons for the international media flow of the pirated Japanese TV dramas are that the Japanese industry is reluctant to promote its product, while the Taiwanese and Hong Kong businessmen are quick to negotiate releases of the TV dramas. Therefore, this gives the piracy an opportunity to thrive. Additionally, the modern culture of the Chinese young generation has accepted the Japanese dramas as opposed to the elder generation, who are in a bad relationship with each other after World War II. The article also portrays greed, unforeseen demand, insecurity, digital technology and development of the local people that initiated the international flow and kept it going.

The second article by Yang (2003) discusses the Internet and the rise of transitional Chinese cultural spheres, namely media, culture and society. Here, the transitional Chinese cultural sphere referrers to the online spaces, where the Chinese interact and turn the Internet into a political and social process. The Chinese culture mostly constitutes of Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong. The conversations are mostly conducted in Chinese. The transitional Chinese cultural sphere involves non-interactive spaces like online magazines and interactive spaces like chat rooms and newsgroups.

The author of the article talks about three transitional Chinese cultural spheres: the media, social and culture spheres. However, there might be other transitional Chinese cultural spheres like politics and economics or commerce.