blog writing #book review

The chapter “iQiyi: China’s Internet Tigers Take Television" by Michael Curtin and Yongli Li offers a fascinating insight into the evolution of television in China and the pivotal role played by “iQiyi” the leading video streaming service in the country. Accordingly, the transformation of television from a highly centralized, government-controlled medium to a diverse and dynamic landscape of online and mobile streaming services is a testament to the rapid changes occurring in media consumption globally. After critical review of the chapter, I learned that it provides significant insight into the evolution of television from a highly centralized system controlled by the Communist Party to a dynamic, diversified, and digital media landscape.

The book "Media Politics in China: Improvising Power under Authoritarianism" by Maria Repnikova, offers a compelling exploration of China's evolving media landscape within the context of its authoritarian regime. The author Repnikova's insightful analysis reveals the complex interplay between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the media, shedding light on how the CCP has adapted to the digital age while maintaining its grip on power. Chapter 3 of the book sheds light on the intricate relationship between China's critical journalists and the party-state, particularly regarding the practice of media oversight or “yulun jiandu” (pg. 51).

The novel “Sula” written by Toni Morrison presents a contrasting theme on the definition of evil and good. In the story, the character Nel represents good while Sula represents evil. Sula represents the opposite view of good as depicted in her action which contradicts with the traditional societal norms in which one is supposed to live up to a certain degree of expectation. Through analysis of the two contradicting concepts of Sula and Nel regarding evil, a conclusion can be made that evil is only a subjective view of society. As such, the standard of integrity does not differentiate virtue from evil, rather an individual can be regarded as good or evil on the basis of individual view and bias.