Description
This study examines the paradox of We-media’s (Self-media, or Zi Meiti) growth in China—a new form of digital media that has developed despite increased state control, especially under Xi Jinping’s government. It focuses on how We-media practitioners navigate the ambiguous and restrictive guidelines imposed by the Chinese government. Using a political economy lens, I introduce the Strategic Diversification (SD) Model to explain how We-media practitioners adjust content creation and monetisation strategies to align with state goals while maximising profitability. In a dialectic relationship with state power, content creators employ sub-channel accounts, platform diversification, and content-washing tactics to exploit gaps in regulatory frameworks, attracting sizeable audiences while avoiding censorship. Rather than challenging the state, these adaptations enable We-media to support the government’s broader goals of economic growth and social stability. This study challenges the binary framing of state control versus media commercialisation, revealing a symbiotic relationship where We-media aligns with the Chinese state’s objectives under Xi Jinping’s administration in digital China. Findings from this research contribute to a nuanced understanding of digital media's role under authoritarian governance and broaden our view of state-media dynamics in a commercially driven yet politically controlled landscape.
