Sixth Tone
I was one of six editors and journalists who planned every facet of the site’s launch and branding in only four months. Post-launch I edited a team of five journalists, wrote breaking news and features with a focus on narrative non-fiction. The name was my creation, more on that below.
What’s in a name?
Time was running out. It was the final day to notify the developer of a name change or we’d be stuck with the awful working name of the site.Over 9 long hours, the entire team of 15 people brainstormed our asses off. There was the good, the bad, and the downright terrible.At the 11th hour, I struck gold. Mandarin Chinese uses 5 tones. Adding a Sixth Tone would reveal new layers of meaning or unheard voices—exactly what the site was all about.We wiped the sweat from our brows and breathed a sigh of relief. Who’s for Pizza Hut?Features
One of the site's launch features which explored the topic of couples who lost their only child and were too old to have any more.
Live-streaming in China's northeast draws from local working class culture. Many middle class Chinese people look down on it, but Brother Li is rich beyond his wildest dreams.
Hubei province is home to a Bigfoot legend stretching back decades. It all begins with a car full of cadres one dark night many years ago...
Is Spotify the king of music streaming services? Not even close by user numbers. A Chinese app was the world's most popular at the time of the article.
Chen studied art in the UK and there developed a love for rave culture. It shines through in his art which also references Buddhism and spirituality.
I was on editing duties for this launch feature. The reporting was impressive, but the story needed narrative. I spent a weekend bringing the story to life ready for launch day. The writer won an Honourable Mention in the 2017 Sopa Awards.
Breaking News
