(Correspondent Wu Tao) The 55th Xi Xian Forum, co-hosted by Innovation and Talent Base for Income Distribution and Public Finance and the School of Public Finance and Taxation of Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, was successfully held in Conference Room 119 of Wenqin Building on June 7, 2024. Assistant Professor Zuzanna Studnicka of the School of Economics, University College Dublin, Ireland, as the keynote speaker at the Forum, delivered a speech entitled "Gravity and Trade in Video on Demand Services". The event, moderated by Professor Ma Yuanyuan, the Director of International Exchange and Cooperation Centre, IIDPF, saw over 20 attendees. These included Professor Wu Lei from the School of Public Finance and Taxation, researchers Wan Xin, Zou Wei, Zou Jianwen, and Gao Sihan from the Base, and other faculty and students.
Over the past decade, online video consumption has become one of the primary uses of the Internet, with streaming services accounting for over 65% of global internet traffic. Using a new dataset from Netflix, the world's largest streaming platform, Professor Zuzanna Studnicka estimated the pattern of catalog availability (extensive margin) and the number of clicks for each title (intensive margin) for 20 countries. Professor Zuzanna Studnicka noted that it also provides a unique opportunity to estimate the importance of the quality of viewing patterns. Research indicated that, first, the gravity model can explain the two margins of Netflix viewing; second, viewers prefer domestic content, higher-rated movies, and Netflix's original foreign productions. Further analysis revealed that as Netflix continues to expand its content library, it will further leverage its streaming advantage to attract viewers and promote specific content.
Dr. Zuzanna Studnicka's wonderful speech sparked profound reflections among the faculty members and students present. The faculty members and students actively participated in the discussion session, sharing their insights on the research background, empirical findings, and related topics.
Speaker Profile
Zuzanna Studnicka is an Assistant Professor in the UCD School of Economics. The core focus of her research is international economics. Her areas of expertise include firm-level analysis of international trade, trade in services, firm location choices, and foreign direct investment. Her ongoing research includes papers on trade in audio-visual services, export survival and local labour markets in Ireland. Zuzanna Studnicka received her Ph.D. in economics from KU Leuven (Belgium) and holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Paris 1 (France).