China Planning State-Owned Video Streaming Service to Combat Piracy

LONDON: TV2U has entered into an alliance with Stereoscope Cloud and Vector International to launch its TARA TV service in China, where the government is developing a state-owned video streaming platform in a bid to reduce piracy.

TV2U will lead the alliance, launching its TARA TV managed cloud entertainment platform in Mainland China. Vector International’s software will be used to introduce a loyalty scheme to TARA TV that incentivizes consumers to use the state-owned platform rather than searching for illegally streamed movies. Similar to traditional retail loyalty schemes, Chinese consumers will be able to earn points from shopping online or interacting with advertising on the platform. These points will be redeemable against pay-per-view premium content and other products and services provided through the TV2U platform.

The alliance is already under way, and TARA TV is expected to launch in China before the end of the year.

“Piracy has been a huge deterrent for Hollywood content in China, despite the fact that it’s a significant global market,” said Nick Fitzgerald, CEO at TV2U. “But with TARA TV you can trace the legality of any broadcast stream and identify exactly when and where a device is accessing the network. If a copyright breach or unauthorized connection is suspected, that user can be cut off immediately, making TARA TV a powerful tool for cracking down on piracy.”
 
Chiew Cheik Yee, the CEO at Vector International, added: “Partnering with TV2U was a logical step for all involved and represents an important phase in continuing our strategic growth. By pairing our existing technology with TV2U’s advanced global content platform, it’s possible to offer a truly unique service for consumers in China.”