Participative Chinese audiences – A case study of the reality show ‘Switching Spaces’

This paper studies how Chinese audiences participate in reality shows – more specifically, in the show Switching Spaces – and how they manifest that participation. A map of patterns and degrees of audience participation is drawn from cross-analysis of variables such as age, gender, educational background, occupation, place of residence, viewing environment and habit, and media literacy. The study finds that audience members are discursive by nature and that self-reflection on participation is closely related to media literacy. It also finds that audience participation can be behavioural and/or mental, and the degree of participative involvement cannot be judged merely on the audience members’ actions, but also on their expectations, gratifications and self-reflection.