Zimuzu, Volunteerism, and Media Industry in China

Zimuzu are Chinese communities online who share subtitled versions of foreign movies and television, often within hours of domestic release. Though unauthorized and unlicensed, the programs are streamed and downloaded on tablets and smart phones, free of charge. Zimuzu allows many thousands of Chinese viewers to devour foreign fare, thus sidestepping official channels of distribution, and control. Why do they do it? How does it work? Who do they reach? What kinds of reward can they claim? And why is China the world’s leader in online subtitling? We assess explanations that range from a neo-liberal work ethic to “serious leisure” pursuits, from networked communication to grey market media. We propose it is best to understand Zimuzu within spheres of media marketization; Zimuzu typifies slippage between state regulation and market-driven media consumption. And there are deeper layers of networked subjectivity, related perhaps to Chinese practices of gift economy, exchange and “face”.