The good times for platform-based Internet TV stations have begun

In the structure of major video websites, self-produced dramas and self-produced programs have their own categories, and the momentum is developing rapidly. Among them, iQiyi has received 50 million yuan in sponsorship fees for the program "U Can U Bibi" alone.

YouTube and Hulu

Back to Valentine's Day in 2005, Chad Holly, Steve Chen and Jade Karim, three former PAYPAL employees, founded the YouTube video website, which quickly became popular all over the world, triggering a wave of video website craze. There were many followers in China, and there were constant mergers and acquisitions, but they were all stuck in the quagmire of profitability. In 2007, NBC Universal, News Corporation and Disney jointly established Hulu , a website dedicated to playing authorized genuine film and television works and TV programs . Naturally, a group of followers quickly appeared in China.

YouTube and Hulu created two modes for video websites, one is UGC or PGC, the other is copyright authorization; domestic video websites generally have both, which also means that they need to bear the costs of both modes at the same time, namely the cost of server bandwidth and copyright. Domestic video websites have been deeply trapped in the cycle of burning money, financing, acquisitions, mergers and acquisitions. The advertisements are getting longer and longer, and the user experience is getting worse and worse, but they still can't find a way to make a profit.

There are many reasons why video websites have been unable to make profits. One of them is that the cost is too high. Taking copyright fees alone as an example, the reason why Storm Video, a hot stock in the A-share market , was able to achieve profitability early on was largely because Storm could not afford the copyright and simply did not buy it, which miraculously enabled it to achieve profitability. Another major reason is that the market is still immature and advertisers do not trust the advertising effectiveness of video websites. In addition to these two reasons, there is also the problem of the profit model. Today's Internet can no longer rely solely on selling advertisements.

Audio radio, PGC and self-produced dramas

As the cost of bandwidth is too high, video websites have been wavering between UGC and PGC. Also wavering between the two is the audio radio, which has become popular since last year. Speaking of audio radio, we have to talk about traditional radio. Since the rise of television media, people have been saying that traditional radio will die. In fact, traditional television is not doing well. In a sense, APP audio TV is the product of Internet + traditional radio, and more and more people are beginning to join this market.

At present, there are constant disputes over copyrights for audio radio stations. The reason is the lack of high-quality resources, which is why video websites are vigorously promoting the development of PGC and self-produced dramas. In recent years, major video websites have indeed achieved many gratifying results in their attempts in PGC and self-produced dramas, such as "U Can U Bibi" and "Fall in Love with Supermodel" under iQiyi mentioned at the beginning of the article.

In the structure of major video websites today, self-produced dramas and self-produced programs have their own categories, and the momentum is developing rapidly. If we combine them with audio radio stations, the prototype of Internet TV stations is about to emerge. As video websites have developed to this day, whether in content production, market recognition, or operating models, they are making various attempts and have explored a very mature market theory.

Internet TV and Web TV

When talking about Internet TV stations, we have to talk about "Internet TV stations" in the context of the integration of three networks.

In terms of content attributes, there is actually no essential difference between Internet TV stations and network TV stations. Both are new media that use the Internet to integrate traditional TV stations to broadcast and disseminate content. However, from the perspective of initiation and structure, there are essential differences.

Most of the online TV stations under the three-network integration were born out of policy. Almost all traditional TV stations just bought a domain name with the letters TV, put their own broadcast programs and program lists on the website, and occasionally updated some of their own news. There was no further progress. The online TV stations initiated and established by traditional TV stations are more like corporate information websites than online TV stations. Even the videos on some websites are often full of snowflakes when opened, and the content is not visible at all.

Internet TV stations are developed by video websites and a number of self-media on their way forward. This is a world built from scratch. It does not have the historical baggage of traditional TV stations. It can create more freely based on hot topics. The content of the entire program is closer to the preferences of netizens and can also bring some unrestrained creativity.

In addition to "The Debaters" and "Fall in Love with Supermodels", we have to mention "Logical Thinking", "Penguin Food and Drink Zhinan" and "Yi Tiao". The most noteworthy one is "Yi Tiao" founded by Xu Husheng, the former editor-in-chief of "The Bund Pictorial". This is a new media platform closest to an Internet TV station. Unlike "Logical Thinking" and "Penguin Food and Drink Zhinan" which rely on the personal charm of one person, it operates through an organized way, through weekly and biweekly broadcasts, fixed schedules and divided columns. It has received great response after only about half a year of operation.

This brings us to the so-called Internet TV stations. Their carrier may not necessarily be a video website. They can emerge from anywhere on the Internet and continue to expand their margins after growing up. In the initial stage of their growth, they can take advantage of their light size and constantly try different methods, to trial and error and summarize. This is something that traditional TV stations dare not even imagine.

Advantages of Internet TV

1. Get real-time feedback on programs. After a traditional TV program is broadcast, the TV station cannot get the audience's response immediately. It needs to wait until the next day to check the ratings to understand the audience's response, and more detailed public opinion comments can only be obtained after a period of time. When the programs of Internet TV stations are broadcast, the results can be obtained through comments, pop-ups, click-through rates, etc.

2. The production format is more free. Traditional TV stations are inherently proud, and they do everything with a natural lofty sentiment, so once they decide to produce a program, they will start from the overall situation. The Internet is inherently down-to-earth, and the relationship between the platform and the audience is more harmonious. You can test the market by producing a pilot episode, and if the response is mediocre, you can turn around immediately. The Internet is inherently grassroots, and the audience is generally acceptable to such trial and error. On traditional TV stations, if a program is stopped halfway through, it is definitely classified as a "broadcast accident", and you know the impact it brings to the content.

3. Diversified profit models. The profit model of traditional TV stations mainly relies on advertising and various sponsorships, while the profit model of Internet TV stations can be more diversified. In addition to selling advertisements and sponsorships like "The Rap of China", you can also do social e-commerce like "Logical Thinking" and "Penguin Food and Drink", and you can also do e-commerce through "on-demand shopping" and so on.

4. Stronger communication effect. More and more young people have given up TV and chosen the Internet. Eric hasn't watched TV for several years. This trend will become more and more obvious. As young people continue to grow, the influence of the Internet will overwhelmingly exceed that of TV. After traditional TV programs are broadcast, people can only spread them through chatting every other day, and this kind of communication is one-to-one or one-to-many; and sharing on the Internet becomes easier. You can share it while watching it on the spot. This kind of sharing can produce geometric effects through topic connection.

Last words

As the development of Internet TV stations continues to mature, the concept model becomes clearer and clearer, and there will definitely be more advantages presented to us. At present, Internet TV stations are only in the embryonic stage, and exist in the form of self-media, audio radio, PGC, self-made dramas, etc. When this market develops to a mature enough stage, platform-based Internet TV stations based on audio radio and video websites will emerge.

Some excellent self-media creators can also form their own program alliances through grouping together, and it is possible for a new generation of audio and video platforms to emerge that are purely original and based on producing excellent programs and self-made dramas. Traditional online TV stations are the product of policy promotion and have serious historical baggage, while Internet TV stations have grown out of corners and have tenacious vitality and creativity.

Moreover, with the liberalization of Internet TV policies and the maturity of set-top box technology, the boundary between TV and computer will become increasingly blurred, and it is possible that they will eventually merge into one. In the era of the Internet of Things, all devices will become terminals, and the future of Internet TV will be even more imaginative.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.