All Things Video

David Craig is a Clinical Associate Professor of Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California (USC). David is also the co-author of multiple books and articles about social media entertainment and the rise of creator culture. Prior to academia, David spent three decades as a Hollywood producer and television executive, during which time his projects received over 60 Emmy, Golden Globe, and Peabody nominations. In this episode, David and I explore the cultural influence of social media entertainment. Much attention is paid to shocking and negative online content, but David argues that progressive voices are leveraging social media to increase awareness and raise money for good causes, uplift their audiences, and lobby for policy change. We also examine differences between the Chinese and Western social media economies, taking a closer look at key Chinese platforms like Kuaishou, Tencent’s Bigo Live, and Douyin (the Chinese equivalent of Tik Tok). Finally, we discuss social media’s im