Baseline definitions and vocabulary to stabilize discussion.
A cross-media editorial response to the 2020 Xiao Zhan fan controversy, triggered by mass reporting against fan fiction platforms (including AO3), which escalated into a nationwide debate on fan culture, creative freedom, and platform governance. The project reframed a fast-moving fandom conflict into a broader public discussion by combining explainers, scholar interviews, audience question-collecting, and video dialogues — designed as an editorial system rather than a single article.
In February 2020, mass reporting by fan groups led to the blocking of AO3 in mainland China, turning an internal fandom conflict into a public cultural shock. As unfamiliar terms such as fan fiction, real-person fiction, and participatory culture entered mainstream discourse, the absence of shared vocabulary amplified misunderstanding and moral panic. The editorial goal was to first stabilize the discussion through explanation, then gradually convert explanation into participation.
The system was built in response to a fast-escalating controversy, where explanation had to be deployed quickly and then iteratively expanded as public attention shifted.
Define baseline concepts — what fan fiction is, and where legal and moral boundaries are debated.
Provide an explanatory framework for the phenomenon through a dialogue with renowned fan culture scholar Henry Jenkins, addressing why fandoms can become “intense” and how community mechanisms operate.
Shift from one-way explanation to participation by collecting audience questions and reorganizing them into a public-facing Q&A structure.
A second interview with Jenkins in video format to answer audience questions — increasing trust and retention.
Translate key concepts into short video units for multi-platform distribution.
Articles → social posts → questions → video → short units → back-links — extending the discussion beyond the initial news cycle.
10M+
Total views across platforms
Large-scale public attention during a fast-moving controversy
1M+
Total interactions (likes, comments, shares)
Sustained engagement beyond passive reading
1,000+
Audience questions submitted
Questions reorganized into a second-round public Q&A
Referenced in university communication courses as a teaching case.
I design editorial systems for moments of high complexity and public confusion. Rather than treating content as isolated outputs, I structure explanation, interaction, and distribution as a connected workflow: shared language → participation → circulation → feedback. This approach allows media coverage to move beyond reactive reporting and build sustained understanding across platforms.