Live Streaming in China, 2

 
 
 
 

Vocabulary

put on	lipstick	shut down
odd	redeem	stream (2)
live	star (2)	explosion (2)
way (2)	dole out	promote (2)
rapidly	line (3)	grow/grew/grown (3)
group	broadcast	phenomenon
beef	catch up	industry (2)
per (2)	ham it up	a given time
test	that’s it	raise/rose/risen
earn	test-drive	at the same time
offer	popular	beef-jerky
profit	treatment	worldwide
gift	follow (2)	follow the rules
cash	morality	performer
illegal	cold-hard	pornography
feature	attractive	government
harm	tight (2)	regulation
reality	point (3)	punishment
erotic	prohibit	suspenders
accept	stocking

 
 
 
 
 

Video

 

 
 
 
 

Transcript

One point nine (1.9) million people spend Tuesday night watching Liu Xixi put on lipstick. It’s odd, but it is a daily reality for this star of the Chinese live-streaming explosion.

Liu Xini, Chinese Livestreamer: “In the next five years, online streaming will be as popular, if not more so, than TV.”

Liu uses live streaming to dole out styling lights while promoting her clothing line, just a part of a rapidly growing group of Chinese broadcasting everything online.

It’s a newer phenomenon than in most Western countries, but with hundreds of streaming websites, the industry here is catching up fast. At any given time, you can watch just about anything.

This man is selling beef-jerky to raise money for medical treatment.

This woman is just eating lunch. That’s it.

And nineteen-thousand (19,000) people watch live as this guy test-drove a car while staring at his phone at the same time.

Chinese streaming services differ from others worldwide in that most offer a way to profit while hamming it up to the camera.

Many live streamers self-earning tens of thousands of dollars per month, make money by accepting online gifts users pay for. The performers then redeem it for cold-hard cash.

And while pornography is illegal here, sex still sells: streams like these are everywhere, featuring attractive young women, fully clothed, asking for gifts for doing something as simple as standing up.

But government regulation is tight. Streams that “harm social morality” are shut down and face punishment.

More specifically, performers are prohibited from eating bananas — erotically — or wearing suspenders and stockings during shows.

Liu Xixi welcomes the regulations, and says she’s made money by following rules, at least one point five (1.5) million dollars in the last few years by using live streaming to help sell her clothing line online.

But be it clothing, singing, cooking or driving, it’s all online.

And there’s money to be made.

 

 

Questions

1. Liu Xixi has a very large following. She has many fans. True or false?

2. In terms of the media, will things remain the same or will it change?

3. Live-streaming is only about beautiful women talking. Is this right or wrong?

4. Do the performers live-stream only for fun and as a hobby?
5. Do viewers have to subscribe and pay to live-streaming apps or platforms? How do the live-streamers earn money?

6. Is live-streaming intended for an adult audience only for everyone?

7. Is the government strict about the content of live streaming?

 

A. I watch live-streaming. Yes or no?

B. Do you or your friends live-stream? Is it growing in popularity?

C. What are the advantages (pros) and disadvantages (cons) of live-streaming?

D. I have ideas for live streaming performances.

E. Anyone can be a successful live-streamer. What do you think? What does it take to be successful?

F. What will happen in the future?