Chinese streamers hunt for donations from their subscribers

Young Chinese sit in front of their smartphones on a bridge in the middle of the night to stream songs or discuss them live. tik tak his country, hoping to receive financial donations from his followers.

Sitting in front of their phones mounted on tripods and LED lights illuminating their faces, they spread out in groups of twenty in some places in big cities.

In Guilin (south), they meet every night on a bridge in the hope of attracting the attention of users doyinChinese version of the application tik tak.

Why such motivation despite the late hour? Because the app allows viewer users on the other side of the screen to donate digital money to streamers (“streamers”) whose talent or personality they value.

“When you broadcast live indoors, you need to be beautiful,” explains Qiao Ya, a 27-year-old who sings and speaks on her channel from 9:00 pm to 3:00 am.

“I have a fairly average build with no artistic talent, so putting it out in the open helps draw viewers in thanks to the environment,” he says.

The live outdoor broadcast was extended a year ago. But conditions are sometimes harsh. This week, with temperatures near zero, many “streamers“They were wrapped in blankets and some brought small heaters with them,” said a reporter from AFP.

“If we are alone late at night, viewers see that it is difficult and often they are more generous,” explains Qiao Ya, whose only income comes from online donations.

income supplement

Live broadcast doyin, An application with hundreds of millions of users is a popular way to earn extra money on China.

Some sell goods or give tips and tricks for everyday life. Others sing, dance or just talk to the audience.

definite “streamers”, especially those who specialize in food or beauty product recommendations, have become celebrities capable of generating millions of dollars in advertising revenue.

But the earnings of young people living on the Guilin Bridge are much more modest. On good days, Qiao Ya earns about 600 yuan (nearly $90) for eight hours of broadcasting. An amount that sometimes drops to just one and a half dollars.

For 36-year-old eyebrow tattoo artist Zhang Xiaoxiao, live broadcasts are, above all, additional income.

The covid-19 epidemic knocked down beauty salons in China and for many, activity has declined due to sanitary restrictions. Some have even closed.

“We were under a lot of pressure and the business wasn’t doing well. I like to sing and dance. So I thought it would be nice to earn extra money,” he explains with a smile.

But this activity and the resulting noise is not necessarily to everyone’s taste.

“Some don’t appreciate us. Sometimes we are told, “Why don’t you look for a real job?” Therefore, now we settle far from our homes so as not to disturb people,” says Zhang Xiaoxiao. (AFP)

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