Springfield, China?
Sohu Video is ready to welcome the first family of Springfield to China. In a multi-year deal with Twentieth Century Fox TV Distribution, the company is now the first official Chinese-based provider of The Simpsons. The deal includes the Chinese premiere of season 26, which begins in the U.S. on Sept. 28. The cartoon will also be subtitled in Mandarin. "The Simpsons is a unique television property, which has the ability to transcend worldwide cultural boundaries and has the capability to easily translate into any language." said Kaner, the president of Fox. "We are excited to expand our existing and long-standing partnership with Sohu to allow audiences in China to watch one of the greatest TV shows ever made."
The Global Impact
Photo Credit: 20th Century Studios
While video streaming is becoming a real force in the TV and film industry, Sohu Video has been devoting effort to broadening its American content coverage in China market. After gaining the license of The Ellen DeGeneres Show in early 2014, the company is now bringing the classic cartoon, The Simpsons, to its online platform. "Sohu is the pioneer in the industry that offers premium and licensed video programs to our audience in China," said Zhang, Sohu Video chief executive. "The introduction of The Simpsons, a household name in the U.S., will further enrich our users' choice of the best American content when they come to our platform. This deal once again demonstrates our commitment in bringing the best experience to our users and tireless efforts to enhance our competitive edges in the industry."
Despite China’s growing restrictions on foreign content, Chinese audience’s need for popular American content is going stronger than ever because of the prevalence of internet. The leading online video streaming platforms in China are all involved in a race for content as they become a significant legitimate part of the entertainment establishment, with involvement in streaming, VOD, production finance and movie marketing. On the other hand, it is also a great opportunity for Hollywood production companies to reach China for business expansion. With the entertainment market booming in China, it is very likely we will see more licensing, partnerships, global product placement, or even Chinese elements involved in the future.
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