The same old story: TV versions of video sites undergo a name change trend

Since June this year, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television has finally extended its rectification of the entire Internet TV industry from OTT functional applications, licensees, and Internet companies to video website companies. In the recent new round of rectification measures, the TV client of video websites has become another "focus object" of Radio, Film and Television Document No. 181.

On August 22, Tencent Video announced that it would shut down its TV application service; on August 29, PPTV TV version issued a removal notice, and Youku announced that Youku Tudou TV version had been removed from the shelves; on August 30, Xiaomi Box issued an announcement that it would adjust and standardize the platform programs; on September 1, third-party application markets received official notices from Sohu Video, iQiyi, Baofeng Video, and LeTV announcing the removal of TV clients.

Of course, delisting and rectification will not be the last move of video websites to bid farewell to the Internet TV industry. On August 29, Youku XL version was released, claiming to be a network video client product designed and developed specifically for Android large-screen users; relevant insiders revealed that Sohu Video will shut down the TV version client on September 9, and will later launch Sohu Video MAX version to replace the original version; today, there is news that PPTV will launch the XL version client in the near future; it is reported that in addition, Tencent and other major video websites will also take this measure.

At this point in the story, the SARFT's rectification of the TV clients of video websites seems to have become a "word game": the SARFT's rectification notice clearly stated that the TV video clients would be removed from the shelves. The current practice of major video websites of "changing the soup but not the medicine" does meet the requirements of the SARFT's notice, and at the same time, they have managed to retain their video apps. From this point of view, the practices of video websites are a bit "cunning", and the naming of XL and MAX versions is also hilarious, but in the face of the vigorous and resolute SARFT, these are just trying to put on a posture of self-protection.

The content competition between video websites and TV programs has now evolved from the update speed of popular TV dramas and variety shows to a comprehensive competition of self-made content, American and British dramas, popular movies and other types of content. With its precise and massive resources, video websites have dealt a severe blow to TV programs that are constantly inserted with advertisements and filled with boring content such as fake TV shopping. Although the content broadcast by video websites has also begun to move towards multi-angle commercialization in the past two years, such as advertising and exclusive broadcasting, due to the large number of video website companies, the existence of competition has led to the development of companies still being based on user experience and choice.

Luo Lan, an analyst at Analysys International, said that the removal of the TV version of the APP will reduce the richness of Internet TV content, which will in turn affect the user experience. The video manufacturers' control over content will also be weakened, which will impact their early business models such as content-based service fees. Even if the TV version of the APP is allowed to go online again in the future, it is likely to go through a lot of content review. Compared with the current mobile APP, the content level will be lower, or even no longer meet user needs.

It can be said that if the video website cannot operate independently through the TV version client, then it will completely become a content provider for Internet TV. After losing the channel for traffic monetization on the TV platform, its business model will also change significantly.

Originally, video websites and the supervision of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television were not on the same level. For many years, video websites have been focusing on the PC side. After the popularization of large-screen mobile phones, iPads and other mobile devices, they began to shift some of their attention to the mobile side. After the rise of the Internet TV industry, video websites are also unwilling to miss the living room entertainment market. Judging from the previous development trend of the industry, video websites have spread to family living rooms, which has affected the cake of major TV stations under the protection of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television. But the cruel reality is that the TV screens that video websites enter this time are under the supervision of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television. For this reason, the radio and television have to work hard to strangle the content export of video websites.

In such a big trend, the name change of the TV version of the video application, which is seen as a stopgap measure, is just a small episode. How can it sing a gorgeous ode?

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.