Globalisation and Media Industries in the Streaming Era: A Comparative Analysis of Netflix and Tencent Video

Abstract

The rise of global streaming media has significantly reshaped international long-form video production and distribution. Today, international corporations commission content for local domestic markets, while also distributing diverse content to a global audience via streaming platforms. Netflix, in particular, has employed an internationalism strategy, claiming to “sell the world to the world” by investing in original productions from non-American markets and distributing them to a global audience. In the Global South, such an approach has been adopted by Tencent Video (and its international subsidiary WeTV)—the streaming service of Chinese tech giant Tencent—but via a model that is designed to suit its intellectual property (IP)--centred economic and “pan-entertainment” ecosystem. This thesis presents a comparative analysis of the practices of these two streaming platforms in two overseas markets—Netflix in Australia and WeTV in Thailand. It examines how each platform engages with and transfers local content creation norms through distinct production strategies and explores how their respective expansions have contributed to the broader global streaming business landscape. Drawing on critical political economy and media glocalisation theories, the thesis employs a mixed-methods approach, combining interviews and content analysis. The findings complement, challenge, and contribute to ongoing debates around cultural imperialism and the current and future state of global media and global culture in the platform era.