Blossoms outside the wall emit fragrance within: Overseas Chinese podcast and the formation of an emerging diasporic community

This study explores the impact of two popular talk show podcasts created by overseas Chinese, Conversations with Yuan Li and TheWeirdo, on Chinese diasporic communities. These programs mainly focus on social, cultural, and political issues related to China and provide a diasporic perspective that allows for independent discussions without much censorship. By leveraging social media, these podcasts maintain a connection with people living in China and aim to provide a platform for topics that are censored and silenced in China. Based on the case studies, this study argues that overseas Chinese podcasts have the potential to create an emerging community connecting the Chinese diaspora and those living in China, a counter-public that is missing in the emotionally driven, entertainment-based Chinese media landscape infused by short videos and sensational news.