Ximalaya Podcasts Elevate City Branding: Partnering with Ningbo to Launch a New Podcast Co-Creation Camp

NINGBO, China, June 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This year, audio platform Ximalaya has teamed up with the eastern Chinese port city of Ningbo to roll out "Reasons to Fall in Love with Ningbo–WAVE NINGBO," a joint podcast co-creation initiative. On June 22, the first teaser video, "Ningbo, 'Unveiled'," went live, showcasing the city's irresistible charm—from history and culture to scenery, cuisine, and commerce.

Narrated by rising actor Buss Wang (Wang Anyu), "Ningbo, 'Unveiled'," explores what makes the city stand out. Through everyday snapshots of local life, the video reveals Ningbo's cultural depth, economic vitality and the contentment of its residents: True excellence speaks for itself, yet confidence shines through naturally. In Ningbo you can live authentically—and embrace every version of yourself.

Why Ningbo Partners with Ximalaya Podcasts

A city with a rich heritage, a robust economy, and a distinctive maritime culture, Ningbo's pioneering spirit is embedded in its heritage. By launching "Reasons to Fall in Love with Ningbo–WAVE NINGBO," the city and Ximalaya aim to leverage podcasts as a fresh medium to introduce Ningbo's appeal to younger audiences.

As one of China's leading audio platforms, Ximalaya enjoys strong public recognition. By the end of 2023, it had over 303 million average monthly active users across all scenarios, with cumulative Chinese-language podcast listeners exceeding 220 million—meaning approximately 20% of Chinese internet users tune into Ximalaya podcasts. The platform's core audience is urban youth in first- and second-tier cities, characterized by higher education and strong consumption power, including professionals, entrepreneurs, and public service individuals.

This vast listener base and engaged demographic have fostered a vibrant content community: Ximalaya hosts over 240,000 commercially valuable podcasts and more than 2.9 million active creators. Experts, cultural figures, industry voices, and everyday individuals all use the platform to share their perspectives. Together, these factors provide solid groundwork for the Ningbo-Ximalaya partnership.

Immersive Storytelling: Soundwalking Ningbo

During the city-walk creation camp, 20 top Ximalaya podcasters will dive into Ningbo's urban fabric, uncovering layered stories to produce a collective podcast series. Since May 19, creators like "Chundian DARGON," "Malanshan Broadcasting Station," "Aunt Xue's Musings," and "Burn, Uncle Luo," have released special features offering sonic journeys through Ningbo.

On June 27-28, Ximalaya and Ningbo will host three themed talk events in the city. Philosophy professor Wang Defeng (Fudan University), composer He Zhanhao, humorist Joe Wong, actor Chen Xiaojing, and podcast host Guan Yadi will lead dialogues on traditional culture, youth trends, business innovation, and local folklore—all rooted in Ningbo.

Podcasts: A New Voice for Urban Narratives

As a rapidly growing global medium, podcasts attract expanding creator and listener communities. Whether for information, entertainment, or learning, they offer unprecedented diversity.

In China, this "long-form, slow-paced" format has become a lifestyle for young audiences, integrated into daily routines like commuting, chores, and travel. Podcasts also permeate urban spaces, serving as key channels for cities to share their stories. The affinity between urban culture and podcast expression is natural, and Ximalaya—as a youth-oriented platform—enables deeper cultural storytelling.

The "New Podcast Co-Creation Camp" pioneered by Ximalaya and Ningbo innovates a "podcast + city culture" model. Beyond audio, it blends podcasts with video to transcend traditional media boundaries. From City Walk to City Talk, participants explore Ningbo on foot, connect through sound, and discover enduring urban spirit via podcasts.

Ningbo's confident yet distinctive character aligns perfectly with podcasts' reflective nature. Where short videos capture fragments, audio provides temporal depth—letting listeners multidimensionally experience the city's warmth through pure sound.

Ningbo is unveiled—and radiantly so. Let's listen to the city's stories through Ximalaya podcasts.

SOURCE Ximalaya