Warc, 8 September 2014
BEIJING: All foreign films and TV programmes streamed online
in China will need to be licensed by the country's media regulator, the Chinese
authorities announced on Friday amid reports that foreign content must not
exceed 30% of the market.
China's State Administration of Press and Publication,
Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) announced that online video sites planning
to broadcast foreign content must now apply for a licence for each programme they
intend to broadcast, Xinhua reported.
They have been given a deadline of March 31 2015 to ensure
that all foreign-produced content has been licensed, after which all
non-registered content will be removed.
"Without a publication license, no overseas films or TV
series are allowed to run online," the SAPPRFT said in a statement.
"We encourage online audio and visual program providers
to import, in an appropriate amount, cinema and TV works that are healthy,
well-made and showcase good values so as to absorb fine cultural achievements
across the globe and meet people's increasing spiritual and cultural
demand," it continued.
Unnamed industry sources reported earlier in the Wall Street
Journal had indicated that the new policy would be implemented within days.
The new quota system could have implications for popular
video sites like Sohu, Youku Tudou, Iqiyi, and Tencent, it was reported,
although an executive at a Chinese broadcasting company thought the move could
lead to lower prices.
Despite numerous reports in the media that licensed foreign
content might not be allowed to exceed 30% of the total domestic content
licensed in the previous year, the SAPPRFT did not mention this requirement in
its statement.
The development comes five months after the Chinese
authorities banned four US TV shows, including "The Big Bang Theory"
and "The Good Wife", from domestic video sites.
Data sourced from Xinhua, Wall Street Journal; additional
content by Warc staff
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