https://www.scmp.com/rss/330760/feed The latest news, analysis and opinion on Tencent Video. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Canto-pop legend Leslie Cheung’s classic concert in 2000 has been remastered using artificial intelligence to mark 19 years since the death of the Hong Kong star. Tencent Media Lab, a multimedia research and development unit under Tencent Holdings, released on Friday night the video from the original master copy of the Leslie Cheung Passion Tour – provided by music label PolyGram Records – in nearly 4K resolution, a sixfold improvement with clearer images and richer colours, the company... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3172795/remastered-leslie-cheung-passion-tour-concert-launches-friday-mark?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3172795/remastered-leslie-cheung-passion-tour-concert-launches-friday-mark?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Apr 2022 13:00:18 +0000 Tencent Holdings has agreed to pay 1.8 billion yuan (US$284 million) to secure streaming rights for over 6,000 films and television series, as the Chinese social media and video gaming giant escalates efforts to retain the attention of online audiences, who are increasingly drawn to short video apps. Among the 6,332 films and TV shows that will become available on Tencent’s platforms in the next six years are Hong Kong director Ann Hui’s biopic The Golden Era, according to a filing by Beijing... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3167296/tencent-signs-us280-million-deal-streaming-rights-6000-films-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3167296/tencent-signs-us280-million-deal-streaming-rights-6000-films-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Feb 2022 15:00:10 +0000 China’s censors have deleted multiple scenes and altered reference about a recurring lesbian character in the 1990s US television sitcom Friends, which has sparked outrage among the popular show’s large audience on the mainland. That has practically buried the lesbian identity of recurring character Carol Willick in the first season of Friends, which major Chinese streaming video providers including iQiyi, Tencent Video, Youku and Bilibili started airing online on Friday. The Willick character... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3166813/chinas-censors-scrub-multiple-scenes-lesbian-character-us-sitcom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3166813/chinas-censors-scrub-multiple-scenes-lesbian-character-us-sitcom?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Feb 2022 09:48:55 +0000 Major video streaming companies including iQiyi, Tencent Video, Youku and Bilibili will officially broadcast American television sitcom Friends in China, as the platforms compete for eyeballs with short video services. The hit 10-season show, which first aired on NBC between 1994 and 2004, will be released in China this Friday and be rolled out at one season per week, the companies all announced on their official Weibo accounts. They did not disclose any pricing at this stage. The move comes as... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3166137/can-hit-1990s-us-sitcom-friends-rescue-chinas-struggling-video?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3166137/can-hit-1990s-us-sitcom-friends-rescue-chinas-struggling-video?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Feb 2022 13:00:20 +0000 China’s internet giant Tencent Holdings has restored the original ending of the popular dark satire Fight Club on its video streaming service after censorship of the final scene sparked widespread backlash online. Last month, Tencent Video started streaming David Fincher’s cult-classic 1999 film, which stars Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, and Helena Bonham Carter. What viewers did not expect, however, was a cut to black in the final scene with text appearing on screen to explain that the police had... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3166014/tencent-restores-fight-club-ending-after-censorship-backlash-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3166014/tencent-restores-fight-club-ending-after-censorship-backlash-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Feb 2022 11:00:11 +0000 China’s all-purpose WeChat app, owned by Tencent Holdings, is doubling down on mini programmes and short video to drive future growth as its user base reaches saturation point. The 11-year-old WeChat, known locally as Weixin, is one of China’s most successful mobile apps, installed on virtually every smartphone in the country of one billion mobile internet users. However, with 1.26 billion monthly active users as of September 2021, the app is facing headwinds from regulatory crackdowns, fierce... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3162340/chinas-ubiquitous-wechat-doubles-down-mini-apps-short-videos-it-faces?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3162340/chinas-ubiquitous-wechat-doubles-down-mini-apps-short-videos-it-faces?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Jan 2022 09:00:22 +0000 Tencent Holdings has significantly increased its damages claim against Douyin, the Chinese version of ByteDance’s TikTok short video app, for alleged copyright infringement of a popular anime programme airing on the Shenzhen-based internet giants video channel, according to Chinese media. In an updated motion filed to the Chongqing No 1 Intermediate People’s Court earlier this month, Tencent upped its infringement claim to 800 million yuan (US$123 million) from the previous 61.6 million yuan,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3160677/tencent-escalates-legal-battle-against-tiktok-owner-bytedance-over?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3160677/tencent-escalates-legal-battle-against-tiktok-owner-bytedance-over?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Dec 2021 09:00:11 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS One World: Together At Home wasn’t live streamed in China, so China made its own Covid-19 charity concert called Believe In the Future. Similar to One World, Believe in the Future streamed pre-recorded performances from famous Chinese musicians in two shows each lasting two hours on May 4 and 5. The shows also had three hosts who spoke between performances. Believe In the Future was put together by Chinese musician and talk show host Gao... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3083315/china-has-its-own-covid-19-charity-concert-without-charity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3083315/china-has-its-own-covid-19-charity-concert-without-charity?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2020 08:29:49 +0000 One World: Together At Home wasn’t live streamed in China, so China made its own Covid-19 charity concert called Believe In the Future. Similar to One World, Believe in the Future streamed pre-recorded performances from famous Chinese musicians in two shows each lasting two hours on May 4 and 5. The shows also had three hosts who spoke between performances. Believe In the Future was put together by Chinese musician and talk show host Gao Xiaosong together with online platforms that include... https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/china-has-its-own-covid-19-charity-concert-without-charity/article/3083252?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/china-has-its-own-covid-19-charity-concert-without-charity/article/3083252?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2020 08:29:47 +0000 The days of Chinese manga and anime fans enjoying free online content have largely come to an end as publishers explore ways to monetize their Chinese fan base. Japanese manga giant Shueisha has asked its Chinese partners – Tencent, Bilibili and iQiyi – to put six blockbuster franchises, including One Piece and Yu-Gi-Oh!, behind paywalls starting next month, according to social media posts by the three Chinese companies.   According to a 2018 report by consultancy firm iResearch, revenue... https://www.scmp.com/culture/manga-companies-want-chinese-fans-start-paying/article/3082094?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/manga-companies-want-chinese-fans-start-paying/article/3082094?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2020 07:46:26 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS When a man from a small town in ancient China witnessed his father being captured by a band of hooligans, he decided it was finally time to live out a life-long dream: Join a secret society that practices a form of mythical martial arts known as Qimen Dunjia. Once in the society, the man avenged his father and destroyed a monster seeking to end the secret organisation. Sound like a movie you would watch? It certainly is for millions of Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3081144/smaller-chinese-movies-see-boom-online-during-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3081144/smaller-chinese-movies-see-boom-online-during-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2020 21:00:18 +0000 When a man from a small town in ancient China witnessed his father being captured by a band of hooligans, he decided it was finally time to live out a life-long dream: Join a secret society that practices a form of mythical martial arts known as Qimen Dunjia. Once in the society, the man avenged his father and destroyed a monster seeking to end the secret organization. Sound like a movie you would watch? It certainly is for millions of Chinese viewers. Although the plot might sound cliche, Qimen... https://www.scmp.com/culture/smaller-chinese-movies-see-boom-online-during-pandemic/article/3081089?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/smaller-chinese-movies-see-boom-online-during-pandemic/article/3081089?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2020 21:00:15 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Anyone who awoke in China on Saturday hoping to relax on their day off by playing a few rounds of games like Honor of Kings or Game for Peace would have been disappointed. All of the country's biggest games were shut down for the day. Why PUBG Mobile became Game for Peace in China That’s because April 4 was Ching Ming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Day. During this traditional Chinese festival, families typically honor their ancestors by visiting grave... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3078670/games-and-live-streaming-suspended-china-day-mourning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3078670/games-and-live-streaming-suspended-china-day-mourning?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2020 12:58:56 +0000 Anyone who awoke in China on Saturday hoping to relax on their day off by playing a few rounds of games like Honor of Kings or Game for Peace would have been disappointed. All of the country's biggest games were shut down for the day.   That’s because April 4 was Ching Ming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Day. During this traditional Chinese festival, families typically honor their ancestors by visiting grave sites. But this year in mainland China, it was also turned into a day of mourning for people... https://www.scmp.com/culture/games-and-live-streaming-suspended-china-day-mourning/article/3078570?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/games-and-live-streaming-suspended-china-day-mourning/article/3078570?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2020 12:58:54 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Video site iQiyi is one of China’s largest Netflix-style platforms, offering a large streaming library of movies and TV shows. But with a new app called Suike, it’s becoming a little more like YouTube. The Suike app offers movies and shows already available on iQiyi, but it also highlights user-produced short videos. The Baidu-owned streaming company said it already has more than 3 million content creators. While Youku and Bilibili have both been... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3078296/chinas-netflix-wants-become-chinas-youtube-too?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3078296/chinas-netflix-wants-become-chinas-youtube-too?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2020 08:05:26 +0000 Video site iQiyi is one of China’s largest Netflix-style platforms, offering a large streaming library of movies and TV shows. But with a new app called Suike, it’s becoming a little more like YouTube. The Suike app offers movies and shows already available on iQiyi, but it also highlights user-produced short videos. The Baidu-owned streaming company said it already has more than 3 million content creators. While Youku and Bilibili have both been referred to as “China’s YouTube,” iQiyi CEO Gong... https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/chinas-netflix-wants-become-chinas-youtube-too/article/3078268?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/chinas-netflix-wants-become-chinas-youtube-too/article/3078268?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2020 08:05:24 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS When House of Cards premiered in 2013, it was the first time Netflix had dropped an entire season of an original show online at once. Binge-watching was born. Since then, TV has been transformed. And not just in the way we consume it, but also in the way it’s made. It’s not just happening on Netflix, Hulu and Disney+, either. China has been witnessing its own flavor of streaming-induced changes to entertainment, and some of those changes are spreading... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3046456/short-video-apps-tiktok-are-changing-entertainment-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3046456/short-video-apps-tiktok-are-changing-entertainment-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Jan 2020 15:16:39 +0000 When House of Cards premiered in 2013, it was the first time Netflix dropped an entire season of an original show online at once. Binge-watching was born. Since then, TV has been transformed. And not just in the way we consume it, but also in the way it’s made. It’s not just happening on Netflix, Hulu and Disney+, either. China has been witnessing its own flavor of streaming-induced changes to entertainment, and some of those changes are spreading beyond its borders. One of the more intriguing... https://www.scmp.com/culture/short-video-apps-tiktok-are-changing-entertainment-china/article/3046387?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/short-video-apps-tiktok-are-changing-entertainment-china/article/3046387?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Jan 2020 15:16:38 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS How would you feel if Netflix allowed anyone to pay an extra fee to see a show’s upcoming episodes ahead of schedule? That’s the latest money-making idea from China’s largest video platforms. Tencent Video and Baidu’s iQiyi, two of China’s biggest video streaming platforms, decided to allow users to pay an extra fee on top of their subscription to get advanced access to episodes of Qing Yu Nian (Joy of Life), a popular fantasy drama released late last... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3042901/netflix-and-hulu-china-want-users-pay-watch-episodes-early?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3042901/netflix-and-hulu-china-want-users-pay-watch-episodes-early?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Dec 2019 02:00:10 +0000 How would you feel if Netflix allowed anyone to pay an extra fee to see a show’s upcoming episodes ahead of schedule? That’s the latest money-making idea from China’s largest video platforms. Tencent Video and Baidu’s iQiyi, two of China’s biggest video streaming platforms, decided to allow users to pay an extra fee on top of their subscription to get advanced access to episodes of Qing Yu Nian (Joy of Life), a popular fantasy drama released late last month.   Monthly subscriptions for Tencent... https://www.scmp.com/tech/netflix-and-hulu-china-want-users-pay-watch-episodes-early/article/3042759?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/netflix-and-hulu-china-want-users-pay-watch-episodes-early/article/3042759?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Dec 2019 02:00:08 +0000 Chinese video streaming company iQiyi hopes to have as many as half its subscribers in overseas markets in five years despite Sino-US trade tensions and increased government censorship at home, founder and chief executive Gong Yu told Reuters in an interview. The company, China’s answer to Netflix, has its sights set on Southeast Asia, where it is signing marketing deals with local partners. It also working to sell white-label versions of its streaming platform around the world, Gong said in a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/baidu-streaming-site-iqiyi-hopes-have-half-its-users-overseas/article/3040756?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/baidu-streaming-site-iqiyi-hopes-have-half-its-users-overseas/article/3040756?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Dec 2019 10:36:55 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Last year was tough for China’s entertainment industry, with professionals calling 2018 “a cold winter.” The winter didn’t end in 2019, and some people are blaming video streaming platforms. This year alone, 1,884 film and television production companies shut down, according to a report by China’s state-run Securities Daily based on data by Tianyancha, an enterprise information and data provider. The newspaper singles out China’s three dominant... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3040279/are-video-streaming-platforms-killing-film-studios-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3040279/are-video-streaming-platforms-killing-film-studios-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Dec 2019 14:17:53 +0000 Last year was tough for China’s entertainment industry, with professionals calling 2018 “a cold winter.” The winter didn’t end in 2019, and some people are blaming video streaming platforms. This year alone, 1,884 film and television production companies shut down, according to a report by China’s state-run Securities Daily based on data by Tianyancha, an enterprise information and data provider. The newspaper singles out China’s three dominant streaming platforms as one reason production... https://www.scmp.com/tech/are-video-streaming-platforms-killing-film-studios-china/article/3039897?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/are-video-streaming-platforms-killing-film-studios-china/article/3039897?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Dec 2019 14:17:51 +0000 Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tried Sunday to defuse the rapidly growing fallout over his deleted tweet that showed support for Hong Kong anti-government protesters, saying he did not intend to offend any of the team's Chinese fans or sponsors. A short time after Morey posted that statement, the NBA said it was "regrettable" that the deleted tweet offended many in China. And all that followed several companies in China, including some of the NBA's major business partners there,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/chinese-fans-cant-watch-houston-rockets-tencent-anymore/article/3031854?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/chinese-fans-cant-watch-houston-rockets-tencent-anymore/article/3031854?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Oct 2019 10:16:52 +0000 A new CGI movie adaptation of beloved Chinese classic Journey to the West has met an untimely demise. Meant to be a futuristic spin on the mythological classic, the movie instead got laughed off the internet because its armor-clad hero looks a little too much like Iron Man, from Marvel Comics franchise. The film, titled Armored War God Monkey King, was expected to stream exclusively on Tencent Video over the festive period, but got yanked before debut, as Marvel fans in the world’s largest... https://www.scmp.com/culture/iron-man-knockoff-got-laughed-internet/article/3000379?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/iron-man-knockoff-got-laughed-internet/article/3000379?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jan 2019 12:26:53 +0000