Live online streaming: The next tech goldmine?
- By Zhang Lulu
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E-mail China.org.cn, June 2, 2016
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Wang Rui'er is one of tens of thousands of online "anchors" who live stream on computer and mobile phone-based Chinese sites.. [Photo/The Beijing News] |
Not all rosy
Despite the glittering, promising appearances, the industry has raised a few eyebrows. Some have cautioned against the investment binge, saying that the value of the industry has been overestimated. They fear that the industry will plummet like group-buying sites and online person-to-person banking which were once the darlings of investment funds.
The industry also faces the problem of making money. With sites like YY where people watch others sing and dance, the profit is mainly generated by online users who pay real money to buy virtual flowers and other gifts for pretty anchors. Then the money is divided between the streaming platforms and the anchors. But in video game and entertainment sites, the business model is still being explored.
More importantly, streaming industry has been embroiled in controversy almost since the day it emerged.
An anchor on Douyu TV was found live streaming sexual intercourse this January. The broadcast was later reported to local police and the site was fined and the anchor investigated. Streaming that has violent or sensational content has also been found on other online sites.
On April 14, China's Ministry of Culture unveiled a number of online video sites it suspects had streamed shows of sexual, violent or a criminal nature. The ministry pledged to formulate policies to regulate the industry and publish "blacklists" of platforms and anchors that violate the rules.
The live streaming of the anchor Wang Rui'er on April 29 was stopped when she fondled the sofa teasingly. She was banned from performing on the site for 999 hours and all her previous videos were deleted. But the woman said she still wanted to be a celebrity in the live streaming industry.
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