TV version of video APP faces obstacles before being removed from smart TVs

The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television continues to crack down on online videos, and TV version apps (applications) on video websites have been required to be removed from the shelves.

In the future, online videos will directly appear on TV screens, making it more difficult to play "edge balls".

The outside world is worried that with the advent of the mobile Internet era, many young people have become accustomed to watching online videos on their mobile phones and PADs instead of watching TV in the living room. Smart TVs that can connect to the Internet and use a variety of online videos are trying to attract young people back to the big screen in the living room. However, the "strict management" of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television this time has interrupted the channel for direct transmission of online videos to TV, which will undoubtedly reduce the enthusiasm of these young people to return to the living room.

How to explore new business models in the "post-regulatory era" is a challenge that video websites, Internet TV integrated broadcast and control platform licensees, and color TV manufacturers need to face together.

Video site encounters setback

Peng Gang, senior vice president of LeTV TV, confirmed to a reporter from China Business News yesterday that LeTV has complied with the requirements of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television and made corresponding adjustments.

Peng Gang responded via text message: "This time the General Administration has asked us to remove the XL and other versions of the video app in the third-party market. We have already removed this version. LeTV is currently cooperating with the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television to make rectifications and has made positive progress. We will make rectifications as soon as possible."

A person from PPTV’s public relations department also told our reporter that PPTV has removed the TV APP from the shelves, and there is currently no TV APP on PPTV’s website.

As for how to expand the TV screen in the future, the above-mentioned PPTV public relations department personnel said: "In any case, we will comply with the radio and television policies first, but PPTV will not give up the opportunity of home Internet."

In addition, other video websites such as Youku Tudou, iQiyi, and Tencent Video have also stated that they will strictly abide by national policies and regulations and remove related TV APP products from the shelves.

Wu Chunyong, an expert in the study of the three-network integration and executive editor-in-chief of Fusion Network, believes that this is a continuation of the radio and television administration's heavy-handed crackdown on online videos in June and July this year, and is one of the "implementation" measures.

"It was originally called the TV version, and later the XL version. Changing the name is useless." Wu Chunyong said frankly that the layout of video websites entering the TV screen will be affected. He called for rethinking the strategy on TV instead of changing the concept. For example, cooperate with the licensee to see which content can be put on and which cannot be put on. The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television requires that the brand of video websites cannot appear on TV. Now that this rule of the game has been set, there is no need to skirt the rules. Violators will be punished. "We can cooperate with content providers, licensees, and color TV manufacturers to put some movies and TV series on the licensee. This will be the only legal business model, and then share the content and advertising revenue with the licensee and color TV manufacturer."

A senior person familiar with the OTT industry also believes that: "Radio and television involve national information security, so if video websites want to continue to move forward on the TV side, they must 'cling to the thighs' (referring to cooperating with the seven licensees); or they must keep quiet. It is expected that this tight supervision will continue at least until next year's 'Two Sessions'."

Color TV manufacturers have mixed feelings

As one of the licensees of the integrated broadcast control platform for Internet TV, the relevant person in charge of Wasu Media told the reporter of China Business News yesterday: "I also saw the news online. Of course, this is beneficial to the licensee. Because video apps have been separated from broadcast control management. The removal of TV version apps will have a positive effect on the management of online video content."

The relevant person in charge of Wasu believes that if video websites strictly follow the regulations of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, they will definitely strengthen cooperation with licensees when entering the TV screen.

However, the relevant person in charge of Wasu Media said that as an integrated broadcast control platform, even if there is more content, it is necessary to strengthen services. Some foreign dramas without copyright and programs with excessive scale will definitely be affected when they enter TV screens.

“It’s generally good for licensees, but their responsibilities have increased,” said the senior OTT industry insider. “In the past, licensees only collected money and lacked supervision. Now, they not only sell licenses, but also take on the responsibility of content supervision.”

Wu Chunyong believes that "Although the license holder has strengthened its position, it is also 'mixed'. For example, Lenovo smart TV used to have Lenovo App Store, but now it has become BesTV App Store. The original contract stipulated that you endorse me and pay me a certain amount of money a year, but now you have breached the contract. The license holder must bear more responsibility."

For color TV manufacturers, the heads of color TV business of TCL, Skyworth and other companies said in an interview with the reporter of China Business News that the rectification of radio and television is a good thing. Wang Zhiguo, chairman of Coocaa TV Company under Skyworth, said: "The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television opposes video aggregation and makes TVs compete with each other in terms of backend capabilities. Otherwise, any Internet company can enter the TV industry and find someone to make TVs. From Skyworth's perspective, we cooperate with the licensee Southern Media and its subsidiary Youpengpule. Together with the licensee, we can cooperate with various online video websites on the premise of ensuring that the content can be managed and controlled."

However, a person in charge of a small and medium-sized color TV company said frankly, "Many people who buy Apple phones will flash their phones. The same is true for TVs. Although the radio and television authorities strictly control TVs and set-top boxes, they can control color TV factories but not the behavior of ordinary people. Radio and television supervision should be like Dayu controlling floods, dredging rather than blocking."

An employee of a color TV manufacturer believes: "In the post-TV regulation era, everyone will transform towards 'multi-screen interaction' and try to circumvent TV monitoring; video websites and set-top box manufacturers will work closely with licensees."

"Color TV manufacturers previously operated their own video platforms. This rectification by radio and television will also disrupt the strategic deployment of color TV manufacturers, especially the new Internet TV forces. People still have demand for television. Color TV manufacturers need to better plan their own path to know what rules smart TVs follow. It has become difficult for Internet companies to directly make televisions," said Wu Chunyong.

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.