HMV Digital China unveils online video streaming platform in challenge to Netflix, other rivals

HMV Digital China Group, Hong Kong’s largest music and DVD retailer, launched bilingual online video-streaming platform Hmvod on Wednesday, in a move that will see the company compete directly with Netflix and a spate of other streaming service providers in Hong Kong.

The company, which has operated in the city for 22 years, told a press conference that Hmvod now offers around 1,500 films, which it hopes to expand by 2018 to provide 5,000 videos for subscribers with content ranging from Hong Kong productions to Hollywood movies.

“Cinema screens in Hong Kong are not sufficient to meet the needs of local and overseas film distribution,” said Stephen Shiu, chairman of HMV Digital China at the conference, adding that Hmvod would offer more “genuine Hong Kong” style films that cater to the Hong Kong audience.

Hmvod’s platform would be “quite similar” to Netflix, but would be more appealing to Hongkongers because of its Cantonese content, Shiu said.

“We will gradually roll out TV series on Hmvod that you would never expect to see on traditional TV channels,” he said.