Alibaba to focus on ‘positive’ content as it seeks share of China’s hot digital entertainment market

Alibaba Group Holding will focus on creating productions that are “positive” as it seeks to compete with rivals for a share of China’s hotly-contested digital entertainment market.

The company will focus on selecting titles that advocate a “good world view and entertainment value”, according to Alibaba Literature chief executive Li Zhiqian in an interview with mainland Chinese media outlet Beijing News. Li also serves as chief financial officer of Alibaba’s digital entertainment business unit.

Alibaba Literature is the New York-listed e-commerce giant’s e-publishing platform, where popular books may be adapted as movies or television series for its streaming video service Youku Toudu.

The Beijing News previously reported that Alibaba did not have any palace-themed dramas in its programme pipeline, in contrast to Baidu’s iQiyi, which was behind the summer blockbuster hit The Story of Yanxi Palace, which drew upwards of 13 billion views, as well as Tencent Holdings’ Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace.

Alibaba did not comment on the report.

The television shows from iQiyi and Tencent have captivated audiences not just in mainland China but around the globe, gaining fans in countries like Singapore and Malaysia. Both TV series revolve around the back-stabbing concubines who plot and scheme to climb the ranks and gain favour from the emperor.