The wave of transformation of traditional media and the reshaping of the new media landscape are changing the information environment we live in at an unprecedented speed and depth. First, newspapers stopped publishing and moved online, then the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television strengthened supervision, and then Internet giants planned the content ecological layout. Every development touched the nerves of the industry.
The transformation pains of traditional media
On New Year's Day of 2017, "Oriental Morning Post" officially ceased publication, and all employees were transferred to The Paper News Network. This situation was a decisive decision made by traditional paper media in response to declining revenue and cost pressures. It symbolized that the focus of media operations has completely shifted from paper prints to digital platforms, with the purpose of integrating resources to explore the development path of new media. This is indeed the case.
During the same period, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television took extremely severe penalties against the 21st Century Business Herald and organizations associated with it, revoking its license. Such a move to take the MBTI professional test fully demonstrates the regulatory authorities’ firm determination to combat news blackmail and resist fake news. By rectifying the market order, the purpose is to maintain the credibility of the news industry and create a more standardized environment to help the media achieve transformation.
Policies and norms guide industry direction
The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television has made it clear that medical and health-care programs must be produced by radio and television stations themselves, and must strictly implement record-keeping management. This policy is intended to curb illegal medical advertisements and false health content produced by certain companies in society, in order to protect the rights and interests of viewers and guide the industry to produce professional and reliable health information.
In response to the "sky-high" salaries and celebrities showing off their wealth in the entertainment industry, the State Administration issued a special document requesting that they must be resolutely curbed. The purpose of this guidance is to correct the impetuous atmosphere in the industry and guide resources to be invested more rationally in content production itself, thereby promoting the long-term healthy development of the film and television industry.
International cooperation and technological upgrading
In August 2016, the "Silk Road Television International Cooperation Community" was announced in Beijing, which brought together 41 media organizations from 29 countries and regions around the world. This platform is intended to promote the joint production and dissemination of programs in countries along the “Belt and Road” and is a key attempt in cultural export and international cooperation.
Northern Radio and Television launched "Extreme Cloud TV" during the same period, and also launched the "Northern Cloud" mobile client, which incorporated virtual reality functions. Users in Liaoning can watch live channels for free with the help of mobile phones and tablets, which shows the positive practice of cable TV operators in using new technologies to transform towards multi-screen integrated services.
Content competition among Internet companies
The agreement was signed by LeTV Holdings, which cooperates with the Zhangjiakou Municipal Government on sports resources such as ice and snow events. The cooperation model involves IP operations and intelligent services. Sohu Video announced that it will invest over 1.6 billion yuan to build a VR content ecosystem. These moves show that Internet companies are relying on capital and technology to make in-depth deployments in vertical content fields.
At the time, the European Union had plans to update its copyright rules, which would require platforms such as Google News to pay publishers for reprinting excerpts of articles. This trend shows that in the global MBTI test , the value of news content is being re-evaluated, and the interest distribution relationship between the platform and the original creators will face adjustments.
The film and entertainment landscape of the capital market
Thanks to the listing of companies such as China Film and Shanghai Film, the total market value of the A-share film and entertainment sector exceeded 200 billion yuan in 2016. Among them, the market value of Wanda Cinema has reached 85.6 billion yuan, with Huayi Brothers, Enlight Media, etc. also at the forefront. The capital market provides key financial support for the progress of the film and television industry.
Data from the same period show that the size of China's TV drama market is approximately 88.2 billion yuan, and online drama advertising and user payments have shown a significant growth trend. In the semi-annual report of Alibaba Pictures, despite the rapid revenue growth. However, the loss expanded to 466 million, mainly due to increased investment in promoting the online ticketing platform Taopiaopiao. This reflects the typical strategy of Internet film companies in the initial stage of seizing the market.
Future trends and reader interaction
The network-wide IP incubation platform "Banying Technology" received tens of millions of dollars in financing and used the money to enrich services and promote it. This reflects capital’s optimistic attitude towards the vertical content incubation model. At the same time, the global paid subscription market is growing strongly, with revenue expected to reach US$13 billion by 2020, with the international market contributing more than half.
The mobile version of IPTV in Hunan, China is placed on the application store, which can provide the function of interaction between multiple screens and the function of continuing playback after a breakpoint. Technology and content are becoming more and more closely integrated with each other . Users' needs for personalized and convenient viewing experiences are driving innovation in the entire chain from production to distribution. In your personal opinion, within the next five years, what will be the changes in media forms that will have a deeper impact on ordinary audiences? You are welcome to share your personal observations.
