1 . If you have a chance to talk with a historical figure, who would you like it to be? What would you like to know about the past or share from today? China in the Classics, a new TV show based on Chinese classics started by China Central Television (CCTV) in February, is exploring such possibilities.

In the first episode, the host of the show, Sa Beining, meets ancient Confucian scholar Fu Sheng, who interpreted Shangshu — The Book of Documents. Regarded as one of the five classics of ancient Chinese Confucianism masterpieces, the book records many firsts in the country. Even the expression zhongguo (China) is used there first.

The episode ends with the host bringing Fu to today’s modern society, where the scholar is happy to find children learning the same things he had learned in his childhood. It increased the rating of the series with viewers giving it 9 out of 10 on Douban, a film and TV show reviewing website popular among young people.

The success of China in the Classics doesn’t surprise Shen Haixiong, head of the China Media Group. Shen said in an article in the journal Qiushi, “We are happy to see the program is popular among the public, but we are prouder to find that innovative interpretation of Chinese classics is arousing young people’s interest in Chinese culture.”

Therefore, TV channels have been making bold attempts in recent years to attract today’s younger generations. The Nation’s Greatest Treasures, CCTV’s cultural show in 2017, showcased China’s history and culture through antiques in the top-class museums, and fired up the audience. The treasures include the 3,300-year-old Yinxu Ruins in Henan Province and the 1,300-year-old Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region.

CCTV should make a variety of programs showcasing classics and cultural traditions to appeal to the young generation’s aesthetics, said Zhou, a professor at the School of Arts and Communication, Beijing Normal University.

2 . Adapted from Liang Xiaosheng’s award-winning novel, the realistic drama A Li felong Journey recently has been a huge hit on TV and online.     1    

Given that A Lifelong Journey is set in the 1960s, it’s not surprising that the family has to deal with lots of social changes and uncertainties, like the restoration of Gaokao, the country’s reform and opening-up, the passion for private business and so on.     2     To create the neighborhood, the shooting crew built a set covering 8, 000 square meters in Changchun, Jilin province, collecting many old items, such as old-fashioned televisions and calendars, to re-create the past. The clothing, like Lei Feng-style hats, and interior spaces, also play an essential part, changing with time as the plot develops.

The five virtues in Confucianism—benevolence (仁), righteousness (义), courtesy(礼), wisdom and trust can be found in the lead character Zhou Bingkun, the youngest son in the family.     3     In the show, Zhou Bingkun used to be a factory worker, the one who has taken care of the big family and friends selflessly.

Following the lives of Zhou’s family, the drama gives viewers an insight into the lives of ordinary Chinese.     4     It is the kind of show that strikes your heartstrings and leaves you in tears even if you’ve already read the book.     5    

3 . Streaming services provide all sorts of entertainment, from music to films to live sport. They work via an internet connection to someone's computer, TV or mobile device. TV streaming services in the UK include Amazon Prime, Disney + and Netflix.

According to a BBC survey, during lockdown, TV streaming services boomed in the UK. In2020, more than 12 million new customers signed up to streaming services.

To watch full live coverage of the Tokyo Olympics, people in the UK had to subscribe (订阅) to the streaming service Discovery + at a cost of ￡6. 99 a month.

Some people feel there are too many services to keep track of and pay for; others like having lots of choices. What do you think? Are there too many streaming services?

Yes-Three reasons why there are too many streaming services.

1. It's so frustrating to get excited about watching something and then finding out it's on a streaming service you haven't got.

2. The cost of having several different streaming services is high.

3. There are so many streaming services that it's maddening to keep track of where to find your favorite shows. Families can spend ages trying to decide what to watch.

No-Three reasons why there are not too many streaming services.

1. Choice is a good thing! Streaming offers so many options that there is bound to be a show for everyone to enjoy. Plus, you can watch your favourite shows whenever you like.

2. TV shows keep getting better because streaming services have to compete with each other to attract customers.

3. Streaming services are easy to try out, and you can always cancel subscriptions without a long-term commitment.

Now that you've read a bit more about it, tell us what you think by voting in our poll at theweekjunior. co. uk/polls.

Vote YES if you think there are too many streaming services, or NO if you don't. We'll publish the results next week.

7 . As Americans cut the cord（电线）, Europeans sign up for more pay-TV. The biggest television drama of the past decade has been the story of how people watch it.

Ten years ago nearly nine out of ten American households subscribed to cable or satellite. Today little more than half do. The collapse of pay-TV, with the advance of online streaming（流媒体）, has turned over the television industry. And the pace at which consumers are "cutting the cord" from cable providers is only increasing.

But not everywhere. On the other side of the Atlantic, cord-cutters are outnumbered by cord-knotters. As Americans tear up their contracts, Europeans are signing up for cable and satellite in greater numbers than ever. Why has American media's trend missed Europe?

One reason is price. America's cable industry may look competitive, but it is highly regionalised, so most homes have few options. The result is an average monthly cable bill of nearly $100. British homes pay less than half as much.

A second factor is content. American cable TV is running out of shows as studios move their best ones to their own streaming platforms. In Europe, Pay-TV firms keep the rights of many of the most popular programs. Britons seeking the third season of Warner Media's "Succession", for instance, must go to Sky, a satellite firm, since Warner Media hasn't streamed outside the Americas.

The last reason why Europe still favors cable is that American streamers have collaborated with European pay-TV firms rather than competing with them. The latter are the ones with access to consumers and the ability to handle local marketing and ad sales.

Will cord-cutting at last cross the Atlantic? As long as film studios continue to license their programming to local players, consumers will have every reason to stick with pay-TV. In the long run, though, studios would rather bring viewers onto their own platforms, as in America. By the time the fourth season of "Succession" is out, audiences may be watching it online.