Los Angeles, California – In response to growth in demand by Chinese audiences for Western celebrity and content spanning films, TV and online, Metan Development Group (Metan) announced the launch of HOLLYWOOD, the first channel in China dedicated to the world of entertainment, on the premier video sharing site Tudou.

Launching this January to Tudou’s 400 million users, HOLLYWOOD channel will create a bridge between the Hollywood creative community and China, appealing to young, educated, affluent Chinese consumers and their swiftly expanding interest in Western celebrities, movies, TV and Web series, fashion and pop culture.

Network channels include Today’s Hollywood News, Hollywood Sights, Behind the Scenes, Hollywood Interview, Movie Music, Parties and Premieres, Hollywood Style and Hello! Hollywood Talk Show.

Ben Stiller

“China is the world’s biggest online market and the fastest growing media landscape, with its movie industry expected to soon expand to twice the size of the US film market,” says Larry Namer, Metan’s President/ CEO. “When I started MovieTime, now E! Entertainment Television, our vision was to provide media companies, studios and celebrities with a direct pipeline into the millions of households of movie fans across America. We’re creating a modern version of this model for China through this collaboration with Tudou.”

Weidong YANG, President of Tudou.com, says: “The channel will provide a way for Hollywood content producers and Western celebrities to connect in new way with Chinese consumers, particularly with the extremely attractive 35 and under demo.”

Online film review site Mtime recently reported that box office revenues in China have increased 27 percent from last year to US$3.57 billion.

At launch, HOLLYWOOD on Tudou will feature daily entertainment news reports, behind-the-scenes coverage of all the major red carpet events and premieres, exclusive set visits, as well as spotlight the best work by up and coming producers. 

Segments will also be focused on new theatrical film releases and Western television shows currently popular in China’s digital world, including Two Broke Girls, The Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl andThe Voice all among the highest rated programmes online.

In addition to providing original content, the new multi-channel network will also be aggregating content from other sources.