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Governing through reality television in contemporary China The case of Hunan Satellite Television Nauta, A.P.M.

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Citation for published version (APA): Nauta, A. P. M. (2021). Governing through reality television in contemporary China: The case of Hunan Satellite Television.

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Download date:28 Sep 2021 The Case ofThe Case Hunan Satellite Television Television Through China: Governing Reality in Contemporary Governing Through Reality Television in Contemporary China: The Case of Hunan Satellite Television

Arjen Nauta Arjen NautaArjen Governing Through Reality Television in Contemporary China The Case of Hunan Satellite Television

ACADEMISCH PROEFSCHRIFT

ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de Universiteit van Amsterdam op gezag van de Rector Magnificus prof. dr. ir. K.I.J. Maex ten overstaan van een door het College voor Promoties ingestelde commissie, in het openbaar te verdedigen op woensdag 10 maart 2021, te 16.00 uur

door Arie Pieter Martijn Nauta geboren te Leeuwarden Promotiecommissie

Promotores: prof. dr. ir. B.J. de Kloet Universiteit van Amsterdam prof. dr. J.F.T.M. van Dijck Universiteit Utrecht

Overige leden: prof. dr. M. Kavka Universiteit van Amsterdam prof. dr. A.Y.H. Fung Chinese University of Hong Kong prof. dr. T. Poell Universiteit van Amsterdam dr. J.C. Hermes Universiteit van Amsterdam dr. C.J. Birdsall Universiteit van Amsterdam

Faculteit der Geesteswetenschappen

Promotiecommissie

Promotores: prof. dr. ir. B.J. de Kloet Universiteit van Amsterdam prof. dr. J.F.T.M. van Dijck Universiteit Utrecht

Faculteit der Geesteswetenschappen

The research for this doctoral thesis received financial assistance from the European Research Council (ERC) under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7- 2007-2013) (Grant agreement No. 616882).

Table of Contents

Publication History ...... 6 Acknowledgements ...... 7 Chapter 1 – Governmentality within and through Reality TV in Contemporary China: the Case of Hunan STV ...... 9 1.1 Introduction ...... 10 1.2 Hunan Television and the Calibration of Government in Contemporary China ...... 12 1.3 Foucault in Changsha: Chinese Governmentalities and Reality TV ...... 20 1.4 Moral Schlock or Lessons for Better Living? The Study of Reality TV ...... 25 1.5 Methodological Considerations: Struggling with Contradictions and Access ...... 30 1.6 Where To Go From Here: An Orientation ...... 36 Chapter 2 – Between Commercialism and Politics: Television in China, 1958-2018 ...... 39 2.1 Introduction ...... 40 2.2 The Inception of Broadcasting in the Mao Era, 1958-1976 ...... 42 2.3 Television in the Reform Era, 1976-2002 ...... 49 2.4 Purifying Television, 2002-2012 ...... 56 2.5 Digitization and Platformization in the Xi Jinping Era, 2012-2018 ...... 62 2.6 Conclusion ...... 68 Chapter 3 – ‘Create or Die’: Governmentalizing Creativity and the March of the Hunan Television Army ...... 71 3.1 Introduction ...... 72 3.2 HSTV’s Ten-Year Head Start: Commercialization and Capitalization, 1997-2009 ...... 73 3.3 Sloganizing Creativity: Channeling the ‘Hunan Spirit’ ...... 80 3.4 Less Bureaucracy, More Competition: Engendering Creativity through Organizational Reforms ...... 84 3.5 The Story of Mango TV: ‘Old’ Media in a ‘New’ Jacket? ...... 90 3.6 Conclusion ...... 96 Chapter 4 – Between Copying and Creating? Integrating the ‘Three Qualities’ in the Localization of Reality TV ...... 99 4.1 Introduction ...... 100 4.2 Localizing Reality TV in Contemporary China ...... 102 4.3 Beyond the Bible: Different Models of Adaptation ...... 105 4.4 Learning From Abroad and the ‘Artistic Quality’ ...... 112 4.5 Relate, Learn, and Be Happy: Safeguarding the ‘Viewing Quality’ ...... 118 4.6 Like Parents and Children: Censorship and ‘Ideological Quality’ ...... 123 4.7 Conclusion ...... 129

Chapter 5 – Good Fathers, Real Men, and Proper Citizens: Unpacking ‘Where Are We Going, Dad’ ...... 132 Table of Contents

5.1 Introduction ...... 133 5.2. Conceptions of Fatherhood in China: Between Tradition and Modernity? ...... 135 Publication History ...... 6 5.3 ‘Who’s Your Daddy?’ Comparing ‘Chinese’ and ‘Foreign’ Fatherhood: Lin Yongjian Acknowledgements ...... 7 and Chris Downs ...... 142 Chapter 1 – Governmentality within and through Reality TV in Contemporary China: the Case 5.4 ‘Confessional Mode’ and Editing Techniques ...... 148 of Hunan STV ...... 9 5.5 “Real Men Don’t Cry”: Urban Metrosexuals vs. Rural ‘Real Men’? ...... 160 1.1 Introduction ...... 10 5.6 “You Are Not A Little Emperor!” Confucian Hierarchies and the Nation as 1.2 Hunan Television and the Calibration of Government in Contemporary China ...... 12 Metaphorical Father ...... 169 1.3 Foucault in Changsha: Chinese Governmentalities and Reality TV ...... 20 5.7 Conclusion ...... 178 1.4 Moral Schlock or Lessons for Better Living? The Study of Reality TV ...... 25 Chapter 6 – Brainwashing, Fakeness, and Learning from the ‘Red Wedding’: Audience Research

1.5 Methodological Considerations: Struggling with Contradictions and Access ...... 30 Through Focus Groups ...... 180

1.6 Where To Go From Here: An Orientation ...... 36 6.1 Introduction ...... 181

Chapter 2 – Between Commercialism and Politics: Television in China, 1958-2018 ...... 39 6.2 Focus Groups and Viewer Engagement: Positioning Audience Research ...... 182

2.1 Introduction ...... 40 6.3 ‘Be like the wolf’: Cultural Nostalgia and Parenting with Chinese Characteristics . 188

2.2 The Inception of Broadcasting in the Mao Era, 1958-1976 ...... 42 6.4 Formats and Foreigners: ‘Savvy Audiences’ and Production Logics ...... 195

2.3 Television in the Reform Era, 1976-2002 ...... 49 6.5 Censorship as a Productive Force ...... 200

2.4 Purifying Television, 2002-2012 ...... 56 6.6 Conclusion ...... 203

2.5 Digitization and Platformization in the Xi Jinping Era, 2012-2018 ...... 62 Chapter 7 – Conclusion ...... 205 2.6 Conclusion ...... 68 7.1 Where We Come From: Governmentalities and the Calibration of Government ..... 206

Chapter 3 – ‘Create or Die’: Governmentalizing Creativity and the March of the Hunan 7.2 Television Industry and Production: Negotiation on All Levels ...... 206 Television Army ...... 71 7.3 Televisual Content and ‘Savvy’ Audiences: Innocuous or Indoctritainment? ...... 210 3.1 Introduction ...... 72 7.4 Future Research: Digital Technologies and Televisual Exports ...... 213 3.2 HSTV’s Ten-Year Head Start: Commercialization and Capitalization, 1997-2009 ...... 73 References ...... 216 3.3 Sloganizing Creativity: Channeling the ‘Hunan Spirit’ ...... 80 Appendix 1 – Methods ...... 244 3.4 Less Bureaucracy, More Competition: Engendering Creativity through Observation of Participants ...... 244 Organizational Reforms ...... 84 Semi-structured interviews ...... 247 3.5 The Story of Mango TV: ‘Old’ Media in a ‘New’ Jacket? ...... 90 Focus Groups ...... 251 3.6 Conclusion ...... 96 Discourse Analysis ...... 255 Chapter 4 – Between Copying and Creating? Integrating the ‘Three Qualities’ in the Localization Social Semiotic Analysis ...... 257 of Reality TV ...... 99 In Practice: Sequence Protocols and Analysis ...... 259 4.1 Introduction ...... 100 Appendix 2 – List of Interviewees ...... 262 4.2 Localizing Reality TV in Contemporary China ...... 102 Appendix 3 – List of Abbreviations ...... 263 4.3 Beyond the Bible: Different Models of Adaptation ...... 105 Summary ...... 264 4.4 Learning From Abroad and the ‘Artistic Quality’ ...... 112 Samenvatting ...... 268 4.5 Relate, Learn, and Be Happy: Safeguarding the ‘Viewing Quality’ ...... 118

4.6 Like Parents and Children: Censorship and ‘Ideological Quality’ ...... 123 4.7 Conclusion ...... 129

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Publication History

Nauta, Arjen. 2019. “’Banal Creativity’: What Does It Mean to Be Creative for Hunan TV Practitioners?” In Boredom, Shanzhai, and Digitisation in the Time of Creative China, edited by Jeroen de Kloet, Yiu Fai Chow, and Lena Scheen, 235-242. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. This book chapter is based on sections from chapters 3 and 4, namely 3.1, and 4.3 – 4.4.

Nauta, Arjen. 2018. “Localizing Korean Reality Shows in China: The Practice of Production and Censorship.” In Willing Collaborators: Foreign Partners In Chinese Media, edited by Michael Keane, Brian Yecies, and Terry Flew, 171–186. London and New York: Rowman & Littlefield. This book chapter is based on sections from chapters 3 and 4, namely 3.4, and 4.4 - 4.6.

Nauta, Arjen. 2013. “Radical Islam, Globalization, and Social Media: Martyrdom Videos On The Internet.” In Social Media and Religious Change, edited by Marie Gillespie, David Herbert, and Anita Greenhill, 121–142. Berlin and New York: De Gruyter. This book chapter is not related to this dissertation.

Nauta, Arjen. 2012. “Machiavelli in the Desert: Political and Religious Identifications in Gaddafi’s Libya.” Master Thesis, Groningen: University of Groningen. This master thesis has inspired the section on ‘discourse analysis’ in appendix 1.

Publication History Acknowledgements

Nauta, Arjen. 2019. “’Banal Creativity’: What Does It Mean to Be Creative for Hunan This dissertation would certainly not exist without the invaluable help of so many TV Practitioners?” In Boredom, Shanzhai, and Digitisation in the Time of Creative friends, colleagues, informants, and academics. First of all, I would like to thank my China, edited by Jeroen de Kloet, Yiu Fai Chow, and Lena Scheen, 235-242. supervisors Jeroen de Kloet and José van Dijck. Jeroen, it really was a pleasure to Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. have you as a supervisor lah! You have taught me so much about the unwritten rules This book chapter is based on sections from chapters 3 and 4, namely 3.1, and 4.3 – 4.4. of academia, and that doing research can be really fun and exciting, and simultaneously critical and productive. Thank you for the great times: I remember driving together on my scooter through Changsha, the many hotpot dinners at your Nauta, Arjen. 2018. “Localizing Korean Reality Shows in China: The Practice of house, and the conferences we attended, sometimes with the entire ‘extended Production and Censorship.” In Willing Collaborators: Foreign Partners In Chinese family’. I admire the way you combine rigorous research with having fun and your Media, edited by Michael Keane, Brian Yecies, and Terry Flew, 171–186. London cheerfulness in general! José, despite your busy schedule, especially when you and New York: Rowman & Littlefield. served as KNAW president, thank you for always finding time to meet, and read my This book chapter is based on sections from chapters 3 and 4, namely 3.4, and 4.4 - 4.6. chapters. It is really amazing how you manage to react as fast as you do (sometimes already the morning after submission). Moreover, thank you for the encouragement and motivation, as well as admonitions when necessary. I needed both, and without Nauta, Arjen. 2013. “Radical Islam, Globalization, and Social Media: Martyrdom your excellent balancing between the two, I might not have finished at all. Videos On The Internet.” In Social Media and Religious Change, edited by Marie Gillespie, David Herbert, and Anita Greenhill, 121–142. Berlin and New York: It is an honor to have esteemed academics such as Micha Kavka, Thomas Poell, De Gruyter. Anthony Fung, Carolyn Birdsall, and Joke Hermes as my committee members. This book chapter is not related to this dissertation. Thank you very much for reading my dissertation, and share your insights and comments, sometimes also during the writing process itself.

Nauta, Arjen. 2012. “Machiavelli in the Desert: Political and Religious Identifications It was really great to be part of the ChinaCreative research group. Dissertation in Gaddafi’s Libya.” Master Thesis, Groningen: University of Groningen. writing can often be solipsistic and being part of such a wonderful team has really This master thesis has inspired the section on ‘discourse analysis’ in appendix 1. made the process motivating and just fun. Jian Lin, Laura Vermeeren, Zoénie Liwen Deng, Chen Siyu, Yuefan Xiao, Shuaishuai Wang, and Rowan Parry; thank you very much, for our collaboration, as well as the great times we had in many places around the world—from the DMZ to Edinburgh Castle, and from ‘absent’ spaces to KTV parlors. In line with this, I would like to thank the other members of the extended academic family, with Jeroen de Kloet as the godfather. Jori Snels, Penn Tsz Ting Ip,

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Leonie Schmidt, Arnoud Arps, Yiu Fai Chow, Gladys Pak Lei Chong; thank you!! As well as the countless other colleagues, friends, and acquaintances with whom I discussed Chinese television (or other interesting things) at conferences and elsewhere.

Of course, this dissertation would never have been possible without the many people that helped me during my fieldwork. First and foremost is Li Yan, who helped me during so many interviews, always provided interesting insights, and managed to find the nicest restaurants in Changsha. Thank you to all the producers, directors, and all other (ex-) employees at Hunan Satellite TV in Changsha and elsewhere for sharing your thoughts and insights with me and allowing me to wander around production sets and join live shows.

Last but not least, I would like to thank my family for their unrelenting support. Most of all to my wife Elaine; thank you for putting up with me, and for tolerating my grumpiness after frustrating hours of bad writing, as well as the long hours spent behind the computer screen.

Islamabad, 25 January 2021