Small apps for digital futures: Podcasting ecology in contemporary China

Abstract

This article investigates the complex ecology of podcasting in contemporary China, drawing on 22 in-depth interviews with 26 podcasters, the close reading of two case studies and the mapping of 35 podcasts across different apps and platforms. I examine podcasters’ use of what I call small app infrastructures and other digital platforms to distribute content, build networks and foster community engagement. The research reveals that Chinese podcasters creatively navigate the tensions between their aspirations for autonomy and the constraints imposed by media regulation, censorship and the domination of megacorps and super apps. By highlighting the techno-political contexts of Chinese podcasting and the intricate networks built by podcasters, this study contributes to the growing body of literature on podcasting as a constitutive part of the evolving platform economy and calls for greater attention to podcasters’ efforts to maintain autonomy in an increasingly centralized digital environment.