Livestreaming new source of leisure among Chinese: survey

BEIJING - A growing number of Chinese online users are willing to idle their time away, watching live 24-hour internet broadcasts. These vary in content from how iconic pandas live in their natural habitats to how a hospital is constructed.

More than 90 percent of Chinese netizens said they had idly viewed such livestreaming videos and 87.8 percent of them said they like the slower-paced broadcasts as it gives them a psychological break from their stressful and busy routines, according to a survey released by China Youth Daily.

Among the 2,005 interviewees, the post-1980's generation accounted for 43.9 percent, followed by the post-1990's generation (38.6 percent) and the post-1970's generation at 9.1 percent.

"It is a source of pleasure and comfort to idly watch slow, relaxing content on livestream," Fang Lu, a college student from Shanghai, was quoted as saying, recollecting her experience of watching a vlogger practice Chinese calligraphy with soothing background music.

Liu Chen, an employee from Beijing, is another livestream watcher. She recently viewed live online broadcasts showing a Chinese survey team reach the summit of Mount Qomolangma on a mission to remeasure the height of the world's highest peak.

"Reaching the summit of Mount Qomolangma is a dream that many people have aspired to for a long time but have had no opportunity to realize," said Liu. "Without post-editing, the original live broadcast, which truly represents the scene, has the audience fully absorbed in its reality."