Media & Entertainment

The drama "Word of Honor" became a blockbuster for Alibaba-backed Youku and spawned live concerts featuring the main actors.
Media & Entertainment

Alibaba, Baidu and Tencent learn Netflix lessons in content fight

Original shows help China's long-form video platforms win back viewers from apps

1 June 2021
A billboard advertisement for Genshin Impact in Hong Kong: The game, developed by Shanghai-based MiHoYo, is popular both in China and overseas. 
Caixin

In depth: Upstarts shake Tencent's hold on China's gaming industry

Stiff competition and stricter regulation among challenges for incumbents

27 May 2021
Next Digital shares rose as much as 330% on Thursday before ending the day up 50.5%.
Media & Entertainment

Shares of Apple Daily publisher soar despite Jimmy Lai asset freeze

Hong Kong sympathizers rally to show support for Next Digital

27 May 2021
Sony expects to maneuver around constrained chip supplies and build 22.6 million PS5 consoles as it prepares to break its PlayStation sales record in fiscal 2022. (Photo by Kei Higuchi)
Media & Entertainment

Sony expects PS5 to break 24-year-old console sales record

Gaming chief says China growth will be spurred by locally created content

27 May 2021
NetEase's Cloud Village is gearing up to take on bigger rival Tencent Music Entertainment Group in the fast-growing music streaming sector in China.
IPO

Top Tencent Music rival Cloud Village to list in Hong Kong

NetEase unit could raise about $1bn to fund expansion

26 May 2021
"Sony is directly connected to about 160 million people in the world due to their desire to consume entertainment," President and CEO KenichiroYoshida says. "I want to expand this number to 1 billion." (Source photos by Sony and Koyoharu Gotoge/Shueisha, Aniplex, ufotable)
Media & Entertainment

Sony will invest $18bn to grow entertainment and sensor businesses

Japan corporate icon sets goal of signing up 1bn entertainment subscribers

26 May 2021
Dalian Wanda's stake in U.S. theater chain AMC Entertainment has gone from 100% to 0.002%. 
China debt crunch

Sale of AMC cinemas closes curtain on Dalian Wanda's global dream

Deal tests tycoon Wang Jianlin's claims to 'always profit' on investments

26 May 2021
Douglas Montgomery, CEO of media research company Global Connects, calls anime the "gateway drug to Japanese culture for many Americans." (Source photos by Getty Images and Reuters) 
Media & Entertainment

US appetite for Japanese movies and TV grows during lockdown

Viewers want more J-horror films, but few are in the pipeline

22 May 2021
A protester marches at the Plastic Free Parade in Jakarta in 2019. A new Indonesian documentary sheds light on the environmental and health impact of plastic waste -- as well as offers potential solutions.
Arts

Indonesian documentary declares war on single-use plastics

'Pulau Plastik' shines light on pollution in world's biggest archipelago

22 May 2021
YouTube co-founder Steve Chen has returned to his native Taiwan, from where he is launching a new startup. (Source photos by Wataru Ito and AP) 
Interview

YouTube co-founder Steve Chen bets on Taiwan for next startup

Entrepreneur expects US video platform will cope with threat from rivals like TikTok

21 May 2021
A Tencent display at the World Internet Conference: The Chinese tech group is "stepping up investment in areas including business services and enterprise software, high production value games and short-form video," CEO Pony Ma says.
China tech

Tencent pumps profit into new investments despite antitrust pressure

Chinese tech group's earnings surged 65% on cloud and fintech growth

21 May 2021
ByteDance cofounders and classmates Zhang Yiming, left, and Liang Rudo, right. (Courtesy ByteDance)
China tech

ByteDance CEO Zhang Yiming's resignation letter -- full text

Co-founder of TikTok operator explains move to hand over to HR head Liang Rubo

20 May 2021
"The truth is, I lack some of the skills that make an ideal manager," ByteDance CEO and co-founder Zhang Yiming wrote in an internal memo to employees.
China tech

ByteDance co-founder Zhang Yiming to hand over CEO role

Executive to focus on long-term strategy amid China's tech industry turbulence

20 May 2021
Sea's current businesses include online gaming, e-commerce, food delivery and digital payment.
Startups

Sea reports $422m loss in Q1 as ASEAN tech draws investors

Singapore group says it is 'in best position' in the region as rivals announce merger

18 May 2021
Next Digital continued to print its feisty Apple Daily newspaper in Hong Kong despite the freezing of owner Jimmy Lai's stake, but stopped printing in Taiwan.
Politics

Hong Kong threatens 'full force of law' after Lai assets frozen

Shares of Apple Daily owner Next Digital suspended from trading

18 May 2021
Hong Kong Disneyland's managing director says the park has no plans to cut staff or seek further government funding. 
Media & Entertainment

Hong Kong Disneyland loss hits $342m despite higher local visits

Government-backed theme park to press on with expansion plan

17 May 2021
The South Korean web companies Naver and Kakao are aiming to solidify their positions in the world of web comics. (Photo by Kotaro Hosokawa)
Media & Entertainment

South Korean internet giants battle for top spot in web comics

Naver and Kakao make use of smartphone-friendly format to reach global audience

16 May 2021
For Australian opera singer Cathy-Di Zhang, who has spent most of the past year singing around the house while making loaves of sourdough, the chance to perform before a live audience at the Castlemaine State Festival was a huge emotional relief. (Photo courtesy of Castlemaine State Festival)
Arts

How an Australian arts festival shined through COVID-19

The biggest attraction was being able to join a live audience

16 May 2021
 South Korean pop group BTS helped promote a limited-edition Samsung phone in their signature color of purple. (Photo courtesy of Samsung)
Electronics

From BTS to Adidas, Samsung taps elite brands to stand out

Pricey limited-edition phones and earbuds seek to challenge Apple on style

15 May 2021
Yat Siu, chairman of Animoca Brands, said the inflow of traditional money is "a vote of confidence" for crypto businesses. (Source photos by screenshot from Animoca Brands and its website)
Technology

Hong Kong blockchain gaming group Animoca Brands claims unicorn status

Investors capitalize on growing demand for digital assets and NFTs

13 May 2021
Sally Buzbee will be the first woman to lead The Washington Post newsroom in its 144-year history.
Companies

Washington Post names Sally Buzbee first woman to lead newsroom

Move follows similar appointments at Los Angeles Times and Reuters

12 May 2021
The New York Times saw a surge in subscriptions under the Donald Trump presidency, even as the former president kept attacking the publication. Can the Times continue to grow in the post-Trump era?
Interview

New York Times was ready for Trump frenzy: ex-CEO

Mark Thompson reveals how the 'Gray Lady' transformed into a digital success

9 May 2021
The scarcity of the Nintendo Switch continues. (Photo by Wataru Ito) 
Media & Entertainment

Nintendo learns Wii U lessons to reap Switch profits

Software strategy of inundating market with new games stimulates strong demand

8 May 2021
A man reads a newspaper on a bench in Singapore, in January 2018.
Media & Entertainment

Singapore Straits Times owner unloads media business to nonprofit

Group sees option as best way to maintain quality journalism

7 May 2021
Nintendo expects sales from its popular Switch gaming console to slow. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Media & Entertainment

Nintendo expects 29% less profit after Animal Crossing boom

Japanese gaming giant predicts slower Switch sales following record breaking year

6 May 2021