File photo in Desperate Housewives. Hollywood studios are set to break into China's massive Internet market as domestic video sites scramble to screen US movies and dramas on their digital platforms.

Hollywood studios are set to break into China's massive Internet market as domestic video sites scramble to screen U.S. movies and dramas on their digital platforms, a move which could also curb rampant piracy.

China's Youku's and Sohu's online video platforms have already cut deals withDisney and CBS Corporation to stream U.S. drama serials such as "Desperate Housewives," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Gossip Girl," and more such deals are expected.

This represents a lifelinefor Hollywood studios who have struggled to make money in China due to persistent piracy and the country's quota system that limits the number of foreign movies screened in theatres to 20 per year.

"Major Hollywood studios have struggled to find a viable business model in the China market and cooperating with China's online video sites for paid viewing of their content finally gives them a way to make money here," said Mark Natkin, managing director of Beijing-based consultancy Marbridge Consulting.

China is the world's largest Internet market, with more than 450 million Internet users, and online video firms are stepping up their fight to secure a bigger piece of the market share to win advertisers.

Advertising revenue in the domestic online video market, which was virtually non-existent five years ago, is now estimated to be worth 1 billion yuan ($155 million). This is expected to grow at double-digit rate for the time being.

Online video providers such as Youku have also started pay-per-viewfor some movies, thus giving them a new source of revenue.

Analysts say it's still too early to assess these deals' financial impact on Hollywood studios over the longer term, but agree that this offers a long-awaitedentry point for Disney and others to the world's second biggest economy.

For online video providers, buying international content is not cheap, with payments for licensing fees needed upfront. But it's well worth the risk given the rapid growth in the world's biggest Internet market and growing appetite for Western movies.

The country's biggest search engine Baidu has also ventured into this sector. Its Qiyi joint-venture with Providence Equity Partners has cut deals with Disney to show all seasons of Desperate Housewives, Cougar Town and Grey's Anatomy.

(Read by Renee Haines. Renee Haines is a journalist at the China Daily Website.)

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(Agencies)

隨著國內(nèi)視頻網(wǎng)站紛紛將美國影視劇搬上數(shù)字播放平臺，好萊塢各大電影公司也開始搶灘中國龐大的網(wǎng)絡(luò)視頻市場。影片在線播放也有助于遏制猖獗的盜版行為。

優(yōu)酷和搜狐視頻已經(jīng)與迪斯尼和哥倫比亞廣播公司簽署協(xié)議，播放《絕望主婦》、《實習(xí)醫(yī)生格蕾》、《緋聞女孩》等美劇。更多此類協(xié)議也指日可待。

這無疑是好萊塢片商的生命線。由于盜版猖獗，而且影院每年最多只能播放20部外國影片，好萊塢片商們在中國的錢著實不好掙。

邁博瑞咨詢公司的總經(jīng)理馬克納京說：“好萊塢的一些大公司一直想辦法尋找中國市場可行的商業(yè)模式，而這種與在線視頻網(wǎng)站合作的付費觀看模式，使他們終于可以在這里掙到錢了。”

中國是世界上最大的互聯(lián)網(wǎng)市場，用戶超過4.5億，網(wǎng)絡(luò)視頻公司爭搶更大市場份額的競爭日趨激烈，以贏得廣告商的青睞。

五年前，國內(nèi)在線視頻市場的廣告收入近乎為零，而如今市場估值已達(dá)10億元人民幣（約合1.55億美元）,而且還在以兩位數(shù)的速度增長。

優(yōu)酷等視頻網(wǎng)站上如今還播放按次付費電影，成為新的收入來源。

分析人士指出，評價好萊塢公司能以此撈多少金為時尚早，但他們認(rèn)為，這為迪斯尼和其他好萊塢公司進(jìn)軍中國這個全球第二大經(jīng)濟(jì)體打開了期待已久的大門。

對在線視頻供應(yīng)商來說，購買國際影視劇價格不菲，需要預(yù)先支付大筆許可費。但是考慮到世界最大的互聯(lián)網(wǎng)市場的迅猛發(fā)展，和國人對西方電影日益增長的需求，還是值得一試。

中國最大的搜索引擎百度也打入了視頻市場。百度旗下的奇藝視頻網(wǎng)站已與迪斯尼公司簽署協(xié)議，買下《絕望主婦》、《熟女鎮(zhèn)》、《實習(xí)醫(yī)生格蕾》的全集播出權(quán)。奇藝網(wǎng)是百度與美國私募股權(quán)投資公司普羅維登斯資本成立的合資公司。

來源：中國日報   編輯：許銀娟