The Past, Present and Future of American Talk Shows in China

Chinese television programs have been drawing inspiration from their counterparts in America since the founding of the state television network China Central Television (CCTV) in 1958. This is especially true for the development of talk shows in China. Against the backdrop of political and economic reform in the 1990s, a steady stream of American talk show programs was imported, then adapted for the Chinese audience, starting with the Chinese version of The Oprah Winfrey Show – called Tell It as It Is – in 1996, which marked the beginning of a new era. Recent years have seen a new cycle of importation of American talk shows: Thanks to the less-regulated Internet and with the help of volunteer translators, a number of American talk shows were introduced to China through the Internet and have attracted a growing online follower base. Meanwhile, programs of similar format have mushroomed in China both on television and on the Internet. The following book will explore how American talk shows influence the Chinese audience and assess the extent to which such influence may be instrumental in creating a more favorable environment for domestically produced talk shows in China. ?