Official "Micro-Narration" and Folk "Re-Creation": The Evolution of "Belt and Road" Documentaries on Short Video Platforms

DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jnme.202510604

Author(s)

Xiaoli Xing*, Xiwen Cheng

Affiliation(s)

College of Media and Art, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, China *Corresponding Author

Abstract

The advent of the digital age has made short videos an increasingly important media form, with platforms represented by Douyin occupying a significant amount of users' time. Many official accounts have also begun to build their images and publish specific content on various platforms. The grand narrative of the "Belt and Road" Initiative has undergone a profound communicative evolution after entering short video platforms such as Douyin and Bilibili. Based on Henry Jenkins' theories of "transmedia storytelling" and "participatory culture", this paper explores the communication strategies contributed by official discourse and folk narratives to "Belt and Road" documentaries on short video platforms. By analyzing how these two narrative forces interact, supplement, and reinforce each other, the study aims to uncover the innovative paths through which the BRI's values and stories are effectively conveyed to broader, younger audiences in the digital era.

Keywords

The Belt and Road; Documentaries; Short Videos; Transmedia Storytelling; Participatory Culture

References

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