File photo in Desperate Housewives. Hollywood studios are set to break into China's massive Internet market as domestic video sites scramble to screen US movies and dramas on their digital platforms. |
Hollywood studios are set to break into China's massive Internet market as domestic video sites scramble to screen U.S. movies and dramas on their digital platforms, a move which could also curb rampant piracy. China's Youku's and Sohu's online video platforms have already cut deals with Disney and CBS Corporation to stream U.S. drama serials such as "Desperate Housewives," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Gossip Girl," and more such deals are expected. This represents a lifeline for Hollywood studios who have struggled to make money in China due to persistent piracy and the country's quota system that limits the number of foreign movies screened in theatres to 20 per year. "Major Hollywood studios have struggled to find a viable business model in the China market and cooperating with China's online video sites for paid viewing of their content finally gives them a way to make money here," said Mark Natkin, managing director of Beijing-based consultancy Marbridge Consulting. China is the world's largest Internet market, with more than 450 million Internet users, and online video firms are stepping up their fight to secure a bigger piece of the market share to win advertisers. Advertising revenue in the domestic online video market, which was virtually non-existent five years ago, is now estimated to be worth 1 billion yuan ($155 million). This is expected to grow at double-digit rate for the time being. Online video providers such as Youku have also started pay-per-view for some movies, thus giving them a new source of revenue. Analysts say it's still too early to assess these deals' financial impact on Hollywood studios over the longer term, but agree that this offers a long-awaited entry point for Disney and others to the world's second biggest economy. For online video providers, buying international content is not cheap, with payments for licensing fees needed upfront. But it's well worth the risk given the rapid growth in the world's biggest Internet market and growing appetite for Western movies. The country's biggest search engine Baidu has also ventured into this sector. Its Qiyi joint-venture with Providence Equity Partners has cut deals with Disney to show all seasons of Desperate Housewives, Cougar Town and Grey's Anatomy. (Read by Renee Haines. Renee Haines is a journalist at the China Daily Website.) (Agencies)
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隨著國(guó)內(nèi)視頻網(wǎng)站紛紛將美國(guó)影視劇搬上數(shù)字播放平臺(tái),好萊塢各大電影公司也開(kāi)始搶灘中國(guó)龐大的網(wǎng)絡(luò)視頻市場(chǎng)。影片在線播放也有助于遏制猖獗的盜版行為。 優(yōu)酷和搜狐視頻已經(jīng)與迪斯尼和哥倫比亞廣播公司簽署協(xié)議,播放《絕望主婦》、《實(shí)習(xí)醫(yī)生格蕾》、《緋聞女孩》等美劇。更多此類(lèi)協(xié)議也指日可待。 這無(wú)疑是好萊塢片商的生命線。由于盜版猖獗,而且影院每年最多只能播放20部外國(guó)影片,好萊塢片商們?cè)谥袊?guó)的錢(qián)著實(shí)不好掙。 邁博瑞咨詢公司的總經(jīng)理馬克?納京說(shuō):“好萊塢的一些大公司一直想辦法尋找中國(guó)市場(chǎng)可行的商業(yè)模式,而這種與在線視頻網(wǎng)站合作的付費(fèi)觀看模式,使他們終于可以在這里掙到錢(qián)了?!?/p> 中國(guó)是世界上最大的互聯(lián)網(wǎng)市場(chǎng),用戶超過(guò)4.5億,網(wǎng)絡(luò)視頻公司爭(zhēng)搶更大市場(chǎng)份額的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)日趨激烈,以贏得廣告商的青睞。 五年前,國(guó)內(nèi)在線視頻市場(chǎng)的廣告收入近乎為零,而如今市場(chǎng)估值已達(dá)10億元人民幣(約合1.55億美元),而且還在以兩位數(shù)的速度增長(zhǎng)。 優(yōu)酷等視頻網(wǎng)站上如今還播放按次付費(fèi)電影,成為新的收入來(lái)源。 分析人士指出,評(píng)價(jià)好萊塢公司能以此撈多少金為時(shí)尚早,但他們認(rèn)為,這為迪斯尼和其他好萊塢公司進(jìn)軍中國(guó)這個(gè)全球第二大經(jīng)濟(jì)體打開(kāi)了期待已久的大門(mén)。 對(duì)在線視頻供應(yīng)商來(lái)說(shuō),購(gòu)買(mǎi)國(guó)際影視劇價(jià)格不菲,需要預(yù)先支付大筆許可費(fèi)。但是考慮到世界最大的互聯(lián)網(wǎng)市場(chǎng)的迅猛發(fā)展,和國(guó)人對(duì)西方電影日益增長(zhǎng)的需求,還是值得一試。 中國(guó)最大的搜索引擎百度也打入了視頻市場(chǎng)。百度旗下的奇藝視頻網(wǎng)站已與迪斯尼公司簽署協(xié)議,買(mǎi)下《絕望主婦》、《熟女鎮(zhèn)》、《實(shí)習(xí)醫(yī)生格蕾》的全集播出權(quán)。奇藝網(wǎng)是百度與美國(guó)私募股權(quán)投資公司普羅維登斯資本成立的合資公司。 相關(guān)閱讀 好萊塢頒獎(jiǎng)季來(lái)臨 影片盜版防內(nèi)鬼 電影網(wǎng)絡(luò)院線 Internet-based cinema (中國(guó)日?qǐng)?bào)網(wǎng)英語(yǔ)點(diǎn)津 實(shí)習(xí)生沈清 編輯:Julie) |
Vocabulary: cut deals with: 達(dá)成協(xié)議,還可以稱為cut a deal lifeline: one that is or is regarded as a source of salvation in a crisis(生命線,救生索) for the time being: 目前,眼下 pay-per-view: a system of television broadcasting by which subscribers pay for each programme they wish to receive(按次付費(fèi)) long-awaited: 期待已久的 |