Core response #2 by Yiyan Pan

This week, I found Benjamin Han’s discussion of ImaginAsian TV as an example of a failed effort to envision a homogeneous Asian American audience compelling.

One idea that I find fascinating is the concept of "heterogeneity, hybridity, and multiplicity" within the Asian American community (281). As Han describes, ImaginAsian TV attempts to use English as the primary language to communicate with viewers (275). However, this approach has not been particularly successful. Although English is extensively used by Asian Americans, it does not necessarily serve as a marker of collective identity (282). Han writes, "ImaginAsian TV's broadcast of transnational programming originating from China, Japan, India, and Korea subtitled in English failed to engage fully with the sensibilities and experiences of the Asian American community as a whole" (282). If Pan-Asian viewership is a limited concept due to the divisions among Asian Americans, can we expand this to other areas beyond television and film viewing? This issue also reminds me of statements suggesting that many people feel that Stop Asian Hate is marginalized compared to the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States, for example. In light of the problematic nature of expecting solidarity and alliance within the Asian American community or relying on the concept of Pan-Asian, are there alternative avenues for achieving political empowerment?

Another point that I find interesting is consumption habits. “The diverse media consumption practices of Asian American audiences ranging from illegal downloading to online streaming did not allow ImaginAsian TV to gain a competitive edge in the complex and saturated sphere of diasporic media circuits.” (284) One thing I find interesting but Han hasn’t expanded on this. I am wondering if there is a particular attitude to intellectual property and illegal downloading among Asian Americans, especially the first generation who moved from Asia and settled down in the US. It is nowadays still very common for Chinese people to download free illegal films and television shows, and there’s no platform like Netflix or Apple TV that you can subscribe to some television shows. Suppose there is this strong preference for obtaining free, pirated films and television shows, instead of subscribing to services, it also a factor to consider the failure of the commercial mode of ImaginAsian TV?