From KCRW, I'm Kim Masters, and this is the business.

Hollywood has enjoyed years of dominance when it comes to making global blockbusters.

China isn't making those kind of hits yet, but it's now the biggest generator of box office revenue worldwide.

Wall Street Journal reporter Eric Schwartzel has been on the China beat since 2013.

And in his new book, Red Carpet, he warns that China is playing a long game in terms of global

cultural influence. I just felt like I was observing this industry that was increasingly

obsessed with winning the quarter or winning the weekend and a country that very casually talks

of 5,000 years of history.

We'll also talk to director Jessica Kingdon.

She's in contention for Oscar with her documentary Ascension that takes an artful look

at class and consumption in modern day China.

But first we banter.

Stick around.

It's the business from KCRW.

I am joined by my associate in banter, Matt Bellany.

Hello, Matt.

Hi there.

So, Matt, I'm not putting Matt on the spot.

Matt is volunteering to acknowledge that perhaps in the last banter, he miscalculated

the firestorm that would be unleashed with Disney's failure to take a position, initial failure,

on the Florida, so-called don't-say gay law, which is an attempt to stop teachers from talking to very

young children,

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