Between formal and informal: the shakeout in China’s online video industry

Abstract

While a rich body of literature in television and film studies and media policy studies has tended to focus on the media activities in the formal sector, we know much less about informal media activities, their influence on state policies, as well as the dynamics between the formal and the informal sectors. This article examines these issues with reference to a particularly revealing period following a large-scale government crackdown on peer-to-peer video-sharing sites in China in 2008. By analysing the aim and consequences of the state action, we point to the counter-productive effects in terms of cultural loss and the resurgence of offline piracy; we show the positive impact on forcing the informal into the formal sector, and pressuring the latter to innovate. Meanwhile, increasing rapprochement between professional and user-created content is leading to a new relationship between formal and informal sectors. This case demonstrates the importance of considering the dynamic relationship between the two sectors. It also offers compelling evidence of the role of the informal sector in engendering state action, which in turn impacts on the co-evolution of formal and informal sectors.

International TV series distribution on Chinese digital platforms: Marketing strategies and audience engagement

“…Some scholars argue (Zhao & Keane, 2013) that the integration and commercialisation of UGC is a consequence of the increasing costs of international copyright and that the use of UGC could help generate traffic at no cost, which is supported in our study through the prevalence of UGC on official platforms used to promote series. Others (Chen, 2016) see in this strategy a way to engage an audience that, if not well directed, could easily have access to unauthorised content on pirated websites while platforms await the different government authorisations required to stream.…”

“…For instance, Youku developed a specific page for Sherlock (Youku, n.d.-b) where the audiences are able to upload their review articles and videos about the series. According to Zhao and Keane (2013), 'The importance of the user community cannot be emphasized enough in a social network market, where the nature of consumer choice and producer decision-making is based on others' choices' (p. 735). It is also worth noting that the TV series (e.g.…”

“…With 12,357 followers on Weibo, this fan-subbing group produces Chinese subtitles for English language series that are not officially distributed in China and promotes them on a daily basis (ZiMuZu, n.d.). However, these activities have been greatly reduced in number since the 2008 shutdown of the majority of BitTorrentbased online video platforms, following the implementation of the Administrative Provisions on Internet Audio-Visual Program Service from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (hereafter SARFT) and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) (Zhao & Keane, 2013). This shift towards regulation also meant online media platforms that obtained an Information Dissemination Network Audio-Visual Service Permit (AVSP) would now become major players in foreign content distribution in China.…”

The bumpy road towards network convergence in China: The case of over-the-top streaming services

“…Apart from the increasing adoption of broadband Internet and a proliferating range of smart devices, the burgeoning development of online video space has facilitated the rapid growth of screen content online. Online video platforms have evolved into significant players in the screen ecology by various means, including content licensing, original (co-)production and talent nurturing (Zhao, 2016;Zhao & Keane, 2013).…”

“…Therefore, it has to some extent diminished the effectiveness of the regulation. In fact, unauthorised access to digital entertainment has been deeply imbricated in the fabric of Chinese viewing culture (Pang, 2006;Zhao & Keane, 2013).…”