Ding Qin and Liu Mengzhi
Shaanxi Normal University
Abstract: Visual media have dominated sensory communications for decades,and the resulting “visual hegemony” leads to the call for the “auditory return” in order to achieve a holistic balance in cultural acceptance.Romance of the Three Kingdoms,a classic literary work in China,has received significant attention and promotion from leading audio platforms.However,the commercialization of digital audio publishing faces unprecedented challenges due to the mismatch between the dissemination of long-form content on digital audio platforms and the current trend of short and fast information reception.Drawing on the Business Model Canvas Theory and taking Romance of the Three Kingdoms as the main focus of analysis,this paper argues that the construction of a business model for the audio publishing of classical books should start from three aspects: the user evaluation of digital audio platforms,the establishment of value propositions based on the “creative transformation and innovative development” principle,and the improvement of the audio publishing infrastructure to ensure the healthy operation and development of the digital audio platforms and consequently improve their current state of development and expand the boundaries of cultural heritage.
Keywords: Romance of the Three Kingdoms; audio publishing; Business Model Canvas; digital audio platforms
The emergence of printing technology made it possible to scale up the dissemination of written words.With the popularity of television,movies,and the Internet,the visual mode of communication,centered around text and images,has come to dominate cultural transmission.However,the excessive emphasis on the “visual” factor has given rise to a “visual hegemony.” Visual communication,while providing a wealth of information,has also burdened people with overloaded information.Consequently,people have attempted to counter the visual hegemony by calling for auditory return,seeking aesthetic experiences.The notion of an auditory cultural turn was first proposed by Wolfgang Welsch,a German post-modern aesthetician.He pointed out that in a technologized modern society,the dominance of the visual realm was inexorably leading people toward disaster.In this regard,only the acceptable,communicative,and symbolic relationship between the auditory sense and the world can support us (Welsch,2002,p.209).It is crucial to emphasize that the revival of auditory culture is not intended to replace visual culture but to enrich human cultural forms as a complement.It is a choice and exploration for individuals to attain aesthetic freedom.
Classical books,referring to ancient books that were not printed using modern technology,are an important carrier for the preservation and dissemination of Chinese civilization and culture.In recent years,advancements in media technology have enabled the digital publishing of classical books,and research in related fields has become more abundant.However,previous studies have mainly focused on the digital conversion of classical books by publishing houses and libraries,without considering audio platforms.As an integral part of integrated media communication,audio platforms play an important role in the construction of the industrial chain for the digital publishing of classical books.The absence of audio platforms in the digital publishing of classical books will hinder the development of digital business and the advancement of theories related to classical books.Romance of the Three Kingdoms,as one of China’s “Four Great Classical Novels,” has profound literary value and long-standing social background.It holds a high position in Chinese traditional historical literary works.Therefore,this paper intends to use the Business Model Canvas Theory as the main analytical framework and digital audio software as the primary platform to explore and analyze the current state of audio publishing ofRomance of the Three Kingdomsin the context of the auditory turn and provide practical ideas for the audio publishing of classical books in the digital era from the perspective of business model construction.
“Publishing” is generally understood as a social practice of using media for producing and disseminating knowledge to the public (Zeng,2023,pp.14–22).In ancient times,the oral transmission of classical books likeRomance of the Three Kingdomsrelied mainly on word of mouth from person to person.With the advent of the digital age,the context of deep media integration has prompted the publishing industry to actively explore and extensively develop the value of audio publishing.“Audio,” as an integral part of digital publishing production,has gradually transformed from a peripheral byproduct of printed books into the center of digital publishing and reading (Have & Pedersen,2020,pp.409–428).Building upon this foundation,classical books,as an important cultural heritage in the public domain,form a treasure trove for the development of audio products.Audio publishing of classical books,i.e.,creatively transcribing the original or compiled content of classical books (text adaptation,processing,and production) into audio works and publishing them on audio platforms,can provide users with diverse and personalized audio services.In audio publishing,audio is no longer just a form of expression for textual content but becomes a form of content (Zeng,2023,pp.14–22).Digital audio platforms are designed to provide online audio content.Users can listen to various types of audio content,including audiobooks,music,and radio programs,through these platforms.Digital audio platforms expand the mobile medium for the audio publishing of classical books,increasing the channels for disseminating classical book content.Also,the audio publishing of classical books enriches the content of digital audio platforms,thereby enhancing the platforms’ cultural significance.However,to fully understand the digital audio platform,it is necessary not only to focus on the audio products of classical books but also to pay attention to all types of products that use audio as content.Similarly,to delve deeper into the audio publishing of classical books,it is not enough to limit oneself to the digital audio platform alone but to trace the historical context of the relationship between classical books and audio within the entire system of audio communications.This comprehensive perspective helps us better understand the close connection between the two.
Paul Timmers argued that a business model refers to the model and method that could help generate profits in various aspects involved in business production and operations,and fundamentally it was the profit logic of creating value for enterprises (Wang,2023).With the development of the Internet,the analysis and innovation of the business models of the Internet have attracted attention since the end of the 20th century (Macinnes et al.,2002,pp.218–227),presenting many new features based on traditional business model construction.Specifically in the publishing industry,the advantages of digital publishing,such as easy accessibility,storage and dissemination,are increasingly impacting the development of traditional publishing (Shi,2011).Building a more stable and mature business model has become the foundation for the young digital publishing industry.Audiobooks are becoming increasingly prevalent in the publishing industry (Snelling,2021,pp.642–56).The innovation and practice of the business model for audio publishing as a new field of digital publishing can help create and evaluate the value of audio.It is necessary to use favorable analysis tools in order to develop a clear logic for constructing a business model in the complex publishing market.One such tool is the Business Model Canvas Theory,which is a structured model proposed by Alexander Osterwalder et al.when studying traditional business models to help business participants understand the construction of businesses.It can be divided into four parts: customer evaluation,value proposition,infrastructure,and financial model (Xiao & Gao,2021,pp.74–84).
In the digital era,the audio publishing of classical books relies primarily on digital audio platforms.Therefore,the practical issues of audio publishing forRomance of theThree Kingdomsare ultimately issues related to the construction of the business model for the digital audio industry.To gain an advantage in the fierce market competition,digital audio companies must draw strength from classic literary works.Likewise,in order for classic literary works to maintain vitality in the digital publishing era,they must find a breakthrough in the process of “auditory turn.” From a practical perspective,the business model is a modular structure composed of internal and external systems combined (Christoph& Raphael,2015).The key to the success of ancient audio works in the digital market lies in whether digital audio platforms can effectively integrate internal and external resources,ultimately find a business model suitable for audio publishing of classical books and achieve the development goal of “creative transformation and innovative development” in the literary field.The Business Model Canvas Theory aligns with the “auditory turn” of the publication ofRomance of the Three Kingdomsin the digital era and can facilitate the scanning of internal and external environments for innovative publishing of classical books on audio platforms.It enables the analysis and evaluation of various business elements and the integration and optimization of business paths for audio publishing,thereby contributing to the construction of a more comprehensive and detailed business model.
In recent years,digital audio platforms represented by Ximalaya and Qingting FM have focused on the development of “audiobook” products and the cultivation of “narrators.” These platforms are important for studying the audio publishing ofRomance of the Three Kingdoms.Currently,various digital audio platforms are launching related audio products forRomance of the Three Kingdoms.This not only innovates the way people consume classical book content but also reshapes the boundaries of the dissemination of the Three Kingdoms culture.The digital audio technology and the audio consumption market have jointly created conditions for the audio publishing ofRomance of the Three Kingdoms.Analyzing the digital publishing practices ofRomance of theThree Kingdoms,with a focus on digital audio platforms,can provide experiences and reflections on the audio publishing of classical books in China from the perspective of business model construction.
User Evaluation: The Starting Point of the Practice Model for the Audio Publishing of Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Through the above description,it is evident that digital audio platforms have created a new publishing system forRomance of the Three Kingdoms.The starting point of the practice model for the audio publishing ofRomance of the Three Kingdomsis user evaluation,which includes three major building blocks: user segmentation,transmission channels,and customer relations.
Precise User Segmentation
Precise user segmentation is the foundation for ensuring the effectiveness of audio publishing.Users can be profiled based on gender structure,age structure,regional structure,listening preferences,listening contexts,and listening motivations.Its value lies in two aspects: (a) It enhances the adaptability between audio works and the audience,increasing the commercial conversion rate of audio production; (b) By continuously improving the user segmentation and audience profiling based on listening behaviors,it provides standards for the reproduction of audio content.Next,the user profile based on age structure,listening contexts,and listening motivations will be matched with the current supply of audio content related toRomance of the Three Kingdomson digital audio platforms.This will test the social adaptability of audio works ofRomance of theThree Kingdomsin the digital era and indirectly observe the practical effects of audio publishing of classical books.
Table 1 Analysis of User Segmentation and Content Supply Adaptation①3 For user segmentation criteria,refer to the 2020 Chinese Podcast Listeners and Consumption Research.For content supply classification criteria,refer to Li,D.D.(2020).“Auditory turn” and audio communication of the Dream of the Red Chamber.Journal of the Dream of the Red Chamber,(05),116–136.The adaptation analysis table lists only part of the content without considering all possibilities.
The Innovation of Content Supply Channels
“Content + channel = influence” is a basic formula for the online audio industry (Ye,2022).Due to the diversity of content and fragmented nature of audio contexts in the audio market,to better align with the theme of innovative publishing of classical books in the digital era,it is necessary to build a multi-dimensional and intelligent delivery channel with content as the premise and users at the center,bridging the “last mile” of audio industry marketing.This is demonstrated in the following three aspects.
First,build a service channel featuring “collaborative cooperation and value cocreation.” As an important part of digital publishing,audio publishing follows the operation logic of the digital publishing system.Insights can be gained from the overall logic of the digital publishing platform’s service system to expand audio channel construction.Service itself is part of publishing,and building a “collaborative,shared,and win-win” service channel is crucial to enhancing the influence of online audio dissemination.Stephen Vargo and Robert Lusch expanded the service-dominant logic into the concept of a service ecosystem,which they defined as a relatively independent and self-adjusting system of resource-integrating actors connected by shared institutional arrangements and mutual value creation through service exchange (Vargo & Lusch,2016,pp.5–23).Therefore,from the perspective of a service ecosystem,digital audio platforms should strengthen cooperation with publishers,advertisers,smart device manufacturers,etc.,to achieve resource integration,technological support,service exchanges,and shared interests.
Second,establish “online and offline,media crossover” promotional channels.Audio is a part of the comprehensive media layout,and cross-platform cooperation brings new possibilities for promoting audio products.In March 2020,Ximalaya FM and Sina Weibo jointly launched the Classical Book Awakening Program,collecting audio works that interpret classical books.In addition to various promotional activities led by platforms,Ximalaya FM’s anchors also leverage the Weibo,WeChat,and short video platforms for reposting,thus creating a combined force for spreading and aiding the promotion of audio products.Finally,due to the cultural attributes inherent in the production of audio products ofRomance of the Three Kingdoms,it can also carry out corresponding offline activities in conjunction with famous cultural program anchors,social education programs,and films and TV works related to the culture of the Three Kingdoms to enhance the real-world influence of the audio products ofRomance of the ThreeKingdoms.
Third,explore the distribution channels featuring “context recognition and intelligent matching.” The panoramic companion function of audio reveals the emphasis on“contextualized value” in the audio delivery process.The contextualization of digital audio platforms is reflected in audio services,i.e.,providing adaptation information or service forms under specific contexts (Wang,2021).Generally,the construction of audio usage contexts consists of two parts: internal and external.The external construction refers to the real-world contexts in which listeners are located,and it can collect information through the development of intelligent context recognition technology in audio mobile terminals,such as the MOCO smart speaker,Xiaoya early education machine,and Ximalaya intelligent audio glasses.Internal construction refers to the listeners’ interests,which often rely on the content analysis and user profiling of audio production platforms to provide data.Ximalaya FM relies on the Ximalaya AI cloud to build a resource management system for user data,profiles,features,and models.
Strengthening Audience Engagement
User operation is an important means of maintaining audience loyalty.If content production and channel distribution expand the horizontal vitality of audio works,then user operation and audience maintenance determine the vertical lifespan of audio works.Next,we will analyze the user operation practices in audio publishing ofRomanceof the Three Kingdomsfrom two aspects: relationship establishment and community maintenance.
First,establish relationships through a focal and radiating development approach.Based on the potential for listening and consumption value of audio works ofRomance ofthe Three Kingdomson digital audio platforms,user relationships can be divided into a three-layer focal and radiating relationship development pattern.The first layer is the core layer,which is composed of “original fans,” who are the first loyal users.Cross-media narration,with “emotions” at the core of its operation,is essentially a business production strategy centered around IP to drive industrial effects (Tu,2018,pp.58–64).Romance ofthe Three Kingdomshas accumulated a large number of “original fans” over the years,and these fans were the intended audience from the beginning of its creation.The second layer is the intermediate layer,which is composed of personalized listeners with specific needs for listening.These users often have diverse and personalized needs for listening,which have driven the creative adaptation and innovative development of audio works ofRomance of the Three Kingdomsin modern publishing.The last layer is the peripheral layer,primarily composed of “influenceable and developable” passersby.Generally,the cost of competing for audiences at this level is relatively high due to cultural differences and different media usage habits.Therefore,this group only serves as the peripheral development target for the audio publishing ofRomance of the Three Kingdoms,with the potential for penetration and expansion.
Second,maintain the community centered around emotions.After identifying the target users,it is especially important to enhance communication and connection with them (Huang & Tian,2021,pp.98–104).Divided by the involvement contexts of the audience,two paths for user maintenance can be distinguished: online and offline.In the first path,emotional connections are established through online products.Anchors can build a strong network of relationships with their listeners through platforms such as podcasts,social media,communities,and live broadcasts,thereby reducing the sense of distance and increasing emotional stickiness.In the second path,emotional bonds are tightened through offline activities.In general,implicit knowledge cannot be gained solely through reading or listening; it requires personal involvement in relevant practices(Zhao & Hong,2001).Offline activities provide an opportunity for listeners to engage in deep conversations.Compared to virtual online activities,offline activities allow listeners to truly experience a real connection with the program.For example,the “Xuchang Chunqiu Reading Club” account on Ximalaya FM organizes regular offline book-sharing events to provide an opportunity for enthusiasts of the culture of the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476 BC) to communicate up close with each other,thus maintaining a stable audience community.
Establish a Value Proposition for the Audio Publishing of Romance of the Three Kingdoms
The audio format offers a “sense of space” that text lacks and a “sense of distance”that images cannot provide.Beyond the visual aspect,it opens up a new realm of sensory perception,which is undoubtedly an advantageous attempt to creatively transform and innovatively develop classical books represented byRomance of the Three Kingdoms.“Auditory return” not only enhances the audience’s sense of immersion in content reception but also provides a more practical and effective path for the audience to move beyond superficial cultural reception and stimulate their deep thinking.Therefore,the value proposition for the audio publishing ofRomance of the Three Kingdoms,centered around the auditory sense,is embodied in the following three aspects.
Audio as a Background Medium: The Path to Cultural Popularization
The concept of “context” was originally proposed by American authors Robert Scoble and Shel Israel,who believed that mobile devices,social media,big data,sensors,and positioning systems would collectively drive the arrival of the “Age of Context” (Scoble &Israel,2014).People’s fast-paced lifestyles constantly place them in various contexts,and the adaptability to these contexts becomes an important condition for people’s selection of media.The greatest characteristic of “audio” is its inherent spatiality,and mobile audio maximizes people’s “peripheral attention” by serving as a form of “context medium”(Wang & Liu,2019,pp.71–124),seamlessly integrating into modern life.Digital audio platforms create a fragmented and flexible context for people to acquire knowledge related to the Three Kingdoms culture.Whether you are taking a bus,doing housework,or taking a walk,the audio products ofRomance of the Three Kingdomscan serve as effective companions in these spaces.This means that people no longer have to spend separate time and effort learning and understanding the knowledge related toRomanceof the Three Kingdoms.By reducing the audience acquisition costs,audio products can increase the likelihood of popularizing the Three Kingdoms culture.
In addition,the various types of audio products ofRomance of the Three Kingdomson digital audio platforms not only cater to the diverse needs of different audience groups but also guide the dissemination of the Three Kingdoms culture into different directions,such as making it more entertaining,thematic,and academic.For the elderly,the popular and entertaining nature of the vernacular storytelling style audio products ofRomance of theThree Kingdomssatisfies their need for companionship and entertainment.For children,the audio products ofRomance of the Three Kingdomstailored for them better align with their needs for educational and companionable contexts.For the young and middleaged,the audio products based on class recording and the exploration and decoding related toRomance of the Three Kingdomscan specifically meet their functional needs for learning,emotional healing,and academic research.Lastly,for special groups such as visually impaired people,the audio version ofRomance of the Three Kingdomsnot only reduces their dependence on visual functions but also offers equal opportunities to access information and knowledge for these special groups.Therefore,digital audio platforms can broaden the reach of the Three Kingdoms culture by satisfying the diverse needs of different audience groups.
Devouring and Reshaping the Meaning: The Potential for In-Depth Dissemination
The distinction between “text of pleasure” and “text of bliss” was discovered and proposed by French semiotician Roland Barthes.Roland Barthes states,
A text of pleasure aims at cognition and is intertwined with the enjoyment of reading and the comprehension of meaning; a text of bliss,on the other hand,seeks the fragmentation and crisis of understanding,representing the maintenance of intellectual freedom and the subversion of conceptual taboos (Barthes,2016).
Within this conceptual framework,it can be observed that the dissemination of audio products ofRomance of the Three Kingdomson digital audio platforms,in regard to the original work,is more akin to the expression of the text of bliss.They are no longer mere monotonous readings of the original text but rather a cultural re-creation based on the original work.They attempt to break through the structural limitations of the original text,bridging ancient Three Kingdoms culture and contemporary social values,thus creating a more liberated space for interpretation.For audio creators,the achievement of an in-depth extension ofRomance of the Three Kingdomsand the integration of digital technology and cultural production into the innovative dissemination of the Three Kingdoms culture has been an implicit criterion for measuring the success of their works.
The implosion intensifies the potential for in-depth knowledge dissemination.Media not only devour the meaning in the process of information transmission but also collage and create the meaning.The implication conveyed by the phrase “wisdom of the Three Kingdoms” has long surpassed the text ofRomance of the Three Kingdoms,becoming an important measure of one’s understanding of worldly wisdom,leadership abilities,and strategic capabilities in the workplace.Romance of the Three Kingdomshas transcended its value as a paper-based medium and has become a virtual label and symbol to assess a person’s capabilities.As a result,both producers and consumers of audio products are flocking to the audio publishing market ofRomance of theThree Kingdoms,constantly refining it.From the perspectives of content,audience,and functional categorization on digital audio platforms,we can observe the ongoing construction of an increasingly mature publishing system of the Three Kingdoms culture.
Listening to the Inner Voice: The Audio Track for All-Media Construction
One important characteristic of the auditory sense is its emotional nature (Lu,2014,pp.95–99).Compared to the eyes,the ears lack directionality but possess a greater sense of immersion,making them an emotional medium (Xu & Zhang,2021,pp.12–23).The combination of blank imaginative space and the whispering and eloquent mode of communication creates a sense of human connection in mobile audio media(Wang & Liu,2019,pp.71–124).The ears fill the spiritual dimension that is missing in visual culture.Due to the lack of context reproduction created by intuitive visual symbols,ears rely more on mental perception to receive information.Therefore,“audio”inherently possesses stronger emotive and cognitive qualities,offering a way to compensate for aesthetic fatigue and emotional emptiness that may arise from visuallycentered communication systems.
In addition to its emotional nature,another important characteristic of audio is its ability to provide companionship.The audio that can be self-preserved on digital audio platforms has formed a culture that can constantly shape the listeners’ self-awareness.The lack of personal space has made people increasingly desperate for moments of solitude.Earphones provide a physical form of isolation,while listening to audio products further creates a mental isolation from the outside world.Also,the urgent need for social interaction within the online space to alleviate collective loneliness has led to the phenomenon of “collective listening” to the audio products ofRomanceof the Three Kingdoms.Through comments and messages,listeners can connect with others who share common interests and equal cognitive abilities,engaging in mutual discussions to realize the secondary extension ofRomance of the Three Kingdoms.This fosters exploration of various topics related to the Three Kingdoms culture,thereby forming a broader and more vibrant dissemination landscape.
Improving the Infrastructure for Audio Publishing of Romance of the Three Kingdoms
In the new media ecosystem,the human desire for listening has been reinvigorated with the help of technological innovation and the evolution of auditory devices.Ears,as the “organ of culture,” and auditory sense,as the “internal force of culture,”have the potential to flourish between tradition and emerging trends (Sui,2016,pp.45–47).However,the audio reading market,dominated by consumerism,still faces many challenges.Issues such as commercial intrusion,ethical considerations related to technology use,and the revival of auditory culture all need to be addressed in the development of digital audio platforms.In order to better integrate the auditory experience with the contemporary contextualized lifestyle and blend it with the sensory innovation of traditional culture,it is crucial to enhance the infrastructure for audio publishing.This includes three key aspects: core resources,important cooperation,and key businesses.
Systems and Technologies as Important Partners From the Perspective of Copyright
When it comes to the issue of copyright in the audio publishing of classical books,there are generally two aspects to consider.First,there is an issue concerning the copyright for the content of the audio products.According to relevant provisions of theCopyright Law of the People’s Republic of China,the protection period for a work’s copyright shall not exceed 50 years after the author’s death.Therefore,the copyright for the content of classical books belongs to the public domain.However,since the process of collation,annotation,and supplementation of classical books is complex and creative,the collators of classical books have the copyright over the collated works they have produced,although they do not hold the copyright for the original classical books.Therefore,if the content of an audio product is a collated work of others,it is necessary to apply for the appropriate copyright license.If an audio product involves re-creation based on the original classical book or the collated work of others and meets the requirements for originality,it can be protected as a work under copyright law.Second,there is an issue concerning the copyright for the sound of audio products.According to Paragraph 2,Article 1023 of theCivil Code of the People’s Republic ofChina,for the protection of a natural person’s voice,the relevant provisions on the protection of the right to likeness shall be applied mutatis mutandis.When it comes to audio publications of classical books,it not only involves the protection of natural persons’ voices but also the right to use oral narratives,music,and other forms of audio (Chen,2021,pp.7–14).Therefore,when using someone else’s voice or musical works for the production of audio publications,a license from the audio owner must be obtained.If AI technology is used to replicate someone else’s voice for the production of audio works,it is necessary to inform the author of the original voice and obtain the corresponding rights so as to reduce or avoid any copyright infringement risks in audio publishing.
In the field of audio publishing,the audio itself does not have a copyright.Only when audio is transformed into a work can it be protected by copyright law.During the process of transforming sound into audio works,it is crucial to consider both the copyright determination and the usage of the content and the audio.The digital publishing industry chain is complex,and the use of new technologies such as big data and cloud computing has made piracy more discreet and convenient.Although there are numerous audio productions related toRomance of the Three Kingdomson various digital audio platforms,they often suffer from issues of content homogeneity and rampant piracy.There are two prominent forms of piracy and copyright infringement.The first one is a more blatant form of “duplication,” where the original audio is recorded using digital devices or downloaded for secondary processing and then reuploaded onto platforms.The second is a more hidden form of “imitation,” known as “copying the content but not the audio.” In this method,the infringer uses voice transcription tools to obtain the original text content created by the original author and then converts it into their own work through re-recording before uploading it again.However,due to the typically low playback volume of plagiarized works or the fact that infringers may not have a profit motive and are merely engaging in selfentertainment,combined with the complexity of copyright litigation,the difficulty of evidence gathering,and relatively low punitive damages caps,the cost for rights holders of audiobooks to safeguard their rights often greatly outweighs the cost of infringement.As a result,these acts of infringement are often overlooked (Yang & Liu,2020,pp.87–91).This not only disrupts the classical book publishing market but also hinders the enthusiasm for their publication.It is necessary for the publishing industry and the government to work together to establish a more comprehensive mechanism for protecting audio copyrights.The publishing industry should work with government departments to improve copyright protection mechanisms and guide the positive development of new technologies in the digital realm.Also,blockchain technologies will change the underlying logic of digital content production and operation,preventing piracy and copyright infringement at its source.
Developing Intelligent Recognition Services Based on Context Requirements
For the reading and acceptance of audio publications,contextualization is beneficial for users to emotionally resonate with the “audio context” content,thus enhancing the effectiveness of audio information dissemination while creating a better auditory experience.However,for audio publishing resources,there is currently a lack of intelligent adjustment features that match audio content with data such as time and the users’ geographic location (Shen & Jin,2022,pp.86–91).In other words,although the intelligent big data distribution technology has,to some extent,promoted the refinement of the audio market,the mechanical categorization remains rigid and cannot accurately match the diverse needs of users.Different groups and scenarios have different requirements for the digital reading ofRomance of the Three Kingdoms.While it is notable that personalized content suitable for different groups and social contexts is being constructed,the key issue lies in how to achieve accurate matching between personalized content and users on the digital audio platform.Only through accurate matching can classical books likeRomance of the Three Kingdomshave a solid foundation for advancement.
Therefore,the development of a more specific and personalized “intelligent recognition system” is a crucial breakthrough needed to address the current deficiencies in intelligent technology usage for audio reading on digital audio platforms.The audio reading of classical books should not be limited to the textual content alone but should focus on a three-dimensional information framework that includes time,location,characters,and events.Furthermore,intelligent interactive voice technology should be emphasized,as auditory communication provides people with greater flexibility in their daily lives,liberating them from fixed temporal-spatial interaction scenarios (Huang & Guo,2021,pp.40–44).Intelligent interactive voice technology achieves emotional matching above physical recognition.By analyzing the users’ voices,tones and statements through an intelligent voice system,it matches audio products based on the users’ current emotions and preferences and continuously adjusts based on user feedback,thereby maximizing the value of audio content in the context.Popularizing Digital Reading With Quality Content as Core Resources
Media consumerism is a direct driver of “depthless culture,” where media aim to produce consumable content and programs and promote various news and information to consumers like commodities.The subordination of media content to economic interests is a significant reason for the functional alienation of media communication values (Jiang,2008,pp.45–51).Judging from the form of audio publishing of classical books,the monotonous sensory reception of audiobooks has further intensified the value alienation of “digital reading.” The earliest form of audio communication forRomance of the Three Kingdomswas storytelling,which is still beloved by the public today.To cater to consumer preferences,storytelling remains the most popular genre among the search results for audio works ofRomance of the Three Kingdomson digital audio platforms.Although increasingly diverse genres have been incorporated into the construction of the soundscape forRomance of the Three Kingdoms,the predominance of a single genre for leading works is still the main reason for the distorted structure and lack of innovative content in audio works.Therefore,“exploring high-quality IP and delving into content areas” has become the central focus of digital audio platforms in recent years.
In addition,the act of “listening” can covertly regulate and tame the fundamental way people perceive the world and ultimately conquer their thoughts by conquering their senses (Zhou,2017,pp.91–102).The dissemination of audio works ofRomanceof the Three Kingdomsthrough vernacular storytelling is a weak form of audio communication,in which people detach themselves from critical and evaluative thinking systems,focusing on relaxation and entertainment.Ultimately,self-attitudes are formed through a shallow level of ideological processing (Melanie,2006).Once the listeners become accustomed to a weak form of audio communication,this act of“listening” begins to tame their “ears.” Prolonged exposure to a shallow “auditory culture” will condition their thoughts,trapping them in a state of “amusing ourselves to death” and gradually eroding their ability to explore the essence of literature.Therefore,a strong form of narrative processing is indispensable regardless of whether it is in a visual or auditory culture.We should never expand the breadth of culture at the expense of cultural depth,which would reduce individuals to being onedimensionally inclined in their thinking.
Based on the Business Model Canvas Theory,the commercial logic for audio publishing ofRomance of the Three Kingdomscan be analyzed as follows: First,it is centered on users of digital audio platforms,segmenting the users based on their age,motivations,and contexts.This segmentation not only provides the basis for the content creation of audio works ofRomance of the Three Kingdomsbut also establishes a value proposition for the audio publishing ofRomance of the Three Kingdomsaccording to users’ needs for listening,i.e.,promoting the content popularization,in-depth transmission and all-media construction of the excellent classical bookRomance of theThree Kingdomsbased on the requirements of “creative transformation and innovative development.” Second,to establish an appropriate value proposition for the audio publishing ofRomance of the Three Kingdoms,it is necessary to create pathways from multiple perspectives,such as service channels,promotion channels and distribution channels,to break through the “last mile” of the marketization of the audio publishing industry.It also needs to rely on audio platforms,social media,and offline activities to maintain a good relationship with the target audience.Last,based on the challenges encountered during the marketization of audio publishing ofRomance of the Three Kingdoms,digital audio platforms need to reexamine the hindrances they face in key businesses,resources,and partnerships and strive for breakthroughs from the following three perspectives: developing intelligent recognition services,optimizing core content,and strengthening cooperation with the government and technology research and development departments.All these processes incur costs,such as finding and nurturing talents for content creation and high-quality anchors,organizing online and offline activities for product promotion and user operation,and technological support required for platform updates and optimizations.Ultimately,the platforms can generate profits through advertising marketing,user payments,and industry expansion.Only by achieving positive benefits for digital audio platforms can the smooth development of audio publishing ofRomance of the Three Kingdomsbe ensured,and the ecological system of cultural inheritance ofRomance of the Three Kingdomsbe optimized.
As short video platforms characterized by extreme efficiency and instant content consumption become the mainstream for information retrieval,digital audio platforms are moving against the tide by providing users with a space for “slow immersion.” The delineation,companionship,and subtlety of sound make digital audio platforms an intimate medium,more suitable for deep thinking.This also brings new opportunities and challenges for the innovative dissemination of classical books.In the face of fierce market competition,in order to achieve the auditory turn in the digital publishing ofRomance of the Three Kingdoms,digital audio platforms must develop precise and reasonable business models to ensure the success of the practice mechanism for the audio publishing ofRomance of the Three Kingdoms.This paper uses the Business Model Canvas Theory as the main framework to analyze various paths of the business model for audio publishing ofRomance of the Three Kingdoms,providing a reference for specific digital audio platforms seeking business model innovation and transformation.However,it is worth noting that this article did not provide a comprehensive analysis of digital audio platforms in the asset management aspect.Instead,it focuses on addressing specific problems existing in the digital audio publishing ofRomance of the Three Kingdomsand proposes improvements and enhancements from the perspectives of key businesses,key resources,and key partners.Additionally,it is important to recognize that the Business Model Canvas Theory is just a tool,and in practical implementation,a dynamic operating system of“sustainable commercial development and cultural innovation and inheritance” should be built to better tell China’s stories and inherit traditional Chinese culture.