This book is an interdisciplinary collection exploring the impact of emergent technologies on the production, distribution and reception of media content in the Asia-Pacific region. Exploring case studies from China, Japan, South Korea, India, Thailand and Australia, as well as American co-productions, this collection takes a Cultural Studies approach to the constantly evolving ways of accessing and interacting with visual content. The study of the social and technological impact of online on-demand services is a burgeoning field of investigation, dating back to the early-2010s. This project will be a valuable update to existing conversations, and a cornerstone for future discussions about topics such as online technologies, popular culture, soft power, and social media.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of media and communication studies, scholars face a pressing challenge – understanding the profound and transformative impact of Over-the-Top (OTT) media on global societies. As video content flows directly to viewers over the internet, upending traditional cable and broadcast TV, the complexities of this digital shift pose intricate problems. Enter Exploring the Impact of OTT Media on Global Societies, a comprehensive handbook meticulously crafted to address these challenges and provide solutions. This groundbreaking publication seeks to unravel the intricate layers of OTT media, offering a holistic exploration of business models, technological infrastructure, regulatory issues, and the social and cultural implications that define the dynamic OTT industry. Dive into the evolution of OTT media, exploring the seamless delivery of video content and its disruptive influence on traditional media consumption. Uncover the strategies behind the production and distribution of OTT content, emphasizing the role of personalization and recommendation algorithms in shaping audience engagement. Navigate the complex terrain of regulatory and policy issues surrounding OTT media, addressing critical topics such as net neutrality, data privacy, and intellectual property rights. Witness the competitive dynamics of the OTT market, marked by the emergence of new players and their profound impact on traditional media companies. Beyond the technicalities, our book delves into the social and cultural implications of OTT media, revealing shifts in media consumption patterns, the phenomenon of binge-watching, and the transformative effects on advertising and marketing strategies.

Anime is exploding on the worldwide stage! Anime has been a staple in Japan for decades, strongly connected to manga. So why has anime become a worldwide sensation? A cursory explanation is the explosion of online streaming services specializing in anime, like Funimation and Crunchyroll. Even more general streaming services like Netflix and Amazon have gotten in on the game. Anime is exotic to Western eyes and culture. That is one of the reasons anime has gained worldwide popularity. This strange aesthetic draws the audience in only to find it is deeper and more sophisticated than its surface appearance. Japan is an honor and shame culture. Anime provides a platform to discuss “universal” problems facing human beings. It does so in an amazing variety of ways and subgenres, and often with a sense of humor. The themes, characters, stories, plotlines, and development are often complex. This makes anime a deep well of philosophical, metaphysical, and religious ideas for analysis. International scholars are represented in this book. There is a diversity of perspectives on a diversity of anime, themes, content, and analysis. It hopes to delve deeper into the complex world of anime and demonstrate why it deserves the respect of scholars and the public alike.

As social, locative, and mobile media render the intimate public and the public intimate, this volume interrogates how this phenomenon impacts art practice and politics. Contributors bring together the worlds of art and media culture to rethink their intersections in light of participatory social media. By focusing upon the Asia-Pacific region, they seek to examine how regionalism and locality affect global circuits of culture. The book also offers a set of theoretical frameworks and methodological paradigms for thinking about contemporary art practice more generally.

When Northern Exposure first aired on television in 1990, viewers were introduced to the small fictional town of Cicely, Alaska, and its quirky yet endearing citizens. During its run, Northern Exposure received critical acclaim, winning two Peabody Awards, seven Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globes. Though the show was cancelled after six seasons, it has had a profound impact on contemporary television. In Northern Exposure: A Cultural History, Michael Samuel revisits the cult television series and celebrates its legacy, from its surreal narrative to its diverse onscreen representations. Covering the show’s production history, characters, individual episodes, fan culture, and critical response, Samuel reveals Northern Exposure’s wide cultural impact during its time on air and ever since. Complete with an exploration of the town where the series was shot and a comprehensive guide to all 110 episodes, Northern Exposure: A Cultural History is the perfect companion to this classic series. A fascinating and accessible retrospective, this book recalls a cultural moment in American television defined by a series that wasn’t afraid to push boundaries.

This collection explores the politics of game play and its cultural context by focusing on the Asia-Pacific region. Drawing from micro ethnographic studies to macro political economy analysis of techno-nationalisms and transcultural flows of cultural capital, it provides an interdisciplinary model for thinking through the politics of gaming.

China’s Digital Presence in the Asia-Pacific explores China’s digital presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Drawing on political economy of the media, industry analysis, platform studies and cultural policy studies, the book shows that China’s commercial digital platforms are increasingly recognized outside China and can disseminate Chinese culture more effectively than government supported media. It illustrates how these platforms are contributing to Chinese cultural influence, their perceived reputation and obstacles in the region while pursuing a combined approach of culture+, industry+, internet+, and platform+. In considering the multi-layered rise of the China argument, the book considers its growing technological status as an innovative nation through four policy approaches: culture+, industry+, Internet+ and platform+. Other + characterizations include intelligent+ and social+. These + characterizations show how China is rejuvenating, drawing technological knowhow from the region and adding to its cultural (and soft) power. The book focuses on six locations: Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand. The authors analyse Beijing’s changing policies towards the governance of culture, Internet technologies and digital platforms, as well as examining consumer perceptions of China and Chinese products in the Asia-Pacific region. In using the + characterizations, the authors provide a comprehensive analysis of how Chinese cultural and creative industries became digital, as well as investigating the key players and the leading platforms including Alibaba, Tencent, ByteDance, TikTok, Baidu, iQiyi and Meituan.

The popularization of radio, television, and the Internet radically transformed musical practice in the Asia Pacific. These technologies bequeathed media broadcasters with a profound authority over the ways we engage with musical culture. Broadcasters use this power to promote distinct cultural traditions, popularize new music, and engage diverse audiences. They also deploy mediated musics as a vehicle for disseminating ideologies, educating the masses, shaping national borders, and promoting political alliances. With original contributions by leading scholars in anthropology, ethnomusicology, sound studies, and media and cultural studies, the 12 essays this book investigate the processes of broadcasting musical culture in the Asia Pacific. We shift our gaze to the mechanisms of cultural industries in eastern Asia and the Pacific islands to understand how oft-invisible producers, musicians, and technologies facilitate, frame, reproduce, and magnify the reach of local culture.