The South China Morning Post reports that Chinese authorities have ordered video streaming websites to stop showing four popular American TV shows, including The Big Bang Theory and The Good Wife, representatives from two sites said on April 27. The move suggests government attention is intensifying on the online content-streaming industry, which is freer than state television and China’s cinemas to show foreign productions and other content and has stretched the boundaries of what can be … [Read more...] about Chinese websites ordered to remove U.S. TV shows
SARFT
Tighter regulations for China’s online video sites
According to the South China Morning Post, online video sites in China have enabled filmmakers to post their work online and often shorter versions as compared to those in traditional cinemas. Over the past few years, microfilms have been a hit as it pushes the limits of what can be shown. The South China Morning Post reports that the update of the two-year-old regulation of online dramas and microfilms has raised fears of constraints in creativity. The broadcast authorities … [Read more...] about Tighter regulations for China’s online video sites
Interview with James Ross, Lightning International
Q: What were some of the highlights of Formats Asia 2013? A: The idea for Formats Asia is really to get a broad view of the formats in the local production industry from a broadcaster point of view, from a production company point of view, and from a content owner and distributor point of view. Not forgetting the branded entertainment folks as well. So all those different sectors are represented on our discussions and I think it’s bigger and better this year than last year. This year we … [Read more...] about Interview with James Ross, Lightning International
Media investor Bruno Wu to raise $500m private-equity fund
Shanghai—The new fund is for media investments, focusing on companies targeting expansion in Asia, especially China, reported WSJ. Wu said that the fund will invest in small to medium-size internet, digital-media and e-commerce companies that "need China for the next wave of expansion," added the report. China is home to almost 600 million internet users, according to WSJ, which also reports that China surpassed Japan last year to become the world's … [Read more...] about Media investor Bruno Wu to raise $500m private-equity fund
China says no to singing talent shows on TV
According to People’s Daily Online, the State Administration of Radio Film and Television (SARFT) has decided to limit the total number of pop music singing competition programmes. SARFT will take measures to control the total amount of time allocated to the making and broadcasting of reality singing shows. It will also require satellite TV stations to televise the existing shows at different broadcast times. According to Xinhua, the decision was made to prevent such programmes … [Read more...] about China says no to singing talent shows on TV
Henan Satellite and Baidu launch TV and online programme
Search engine Baidu Inc's two video units, which together boast China's largest online video providers for registered users, has linked up with Henan Satellite TV to launch the nation's first entertainment show for TV viewers and online users, according to a local report featured on the SARFT portal.The programme, Chinese Character Hero, is the first move after Baidu Inc acquired PPStream Inc in May 2013 and incorporated it into its existing video platform iQiyi.com Inc, the report … [Read more...] about Henan Satellite and Baidu launch TV and online programme