Culture Matters is a cross-cultural bilingual talk show on International Channel Shanghai (ICS). Its target audience is well-educated Chinese interested in Western culture as well as foreigners living in Shanghai. What distinguishes Culture Matters from other interview or talk show programs is that it sets its sights on comparing and contrasting various aspects of Eastern and Western culture. Each week, the show’s host and guests will draw upon a vast range of cross-cultural topics to discuss in a casual, lively, and insightful fashion. Off-site footage, along with universally beloved sitcoms and movie clips are seamlessly incorporated into the show, making it an ideal jump-off point for water cooler chatter and serious discussions alike.

Since the broadcast of Culture Matters, many celebrities have been invited to the show, including Yang Yang, Yu-sai Kan, Zhang Guoli, Vivian Wu, Tan Yuanyuan, Zheng Xiaolong, Kong Xiangdong, Rupert Hoogewerf, Sidney Shapiro, and Elaine Chao. Various newspapers and magazines, such as Shanghai Daily, City Weekend, News Noon, and Weekend Pic have covered the show and interviewed the host of Culture Matters.

In 2008, Culture Matters was selected among its fellow nominees as the“Best Asian TV Talk Show.”

In 2010, Culture Matters changes its format. The brand new show runs for an hour. More Chinese and foreign scholars or celebrities will be invited. The show will focus on discussing current popular cultural topics with the host and a live studio audience comprised of more than 60 attendees each time. We anticipate it will be a more interesting and exciting show with the addition of a live band and interactive segments.

Culture Matters airs every Sunday from 7:00PM to 8:00PM on ICS

Rebroadcasts every Monday from 12:00PM to 1PM, every Tuesday 7:00AM to 8AM, and every Saturday 4PM to 5PM on ICS