Alibaba to now provide China’s viewers with ‘Mad Men’ and much more.
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has joined hands with the US based Lions Gate Studio to stream popular US movies and TV Shows including Twilight and Mad Men in China. The new service which is based on subscription will be launched in August 2014. The service will be offered to Alibaba’s Internet Television set-top box.
Although some Lions Gate offerings are already available in China through other partnerships, viewers will now have access to behind the scenes footage via Alibaba’s new service. Jim Packer, the president of worldwide television and distribution said, “This is going to be more of a window into Hollywood and into how these movies get made and how these TV shows get made”.
However, the company has not yet announced the subscription fees. Alibaba is also preparing for an IPO in New York which could turn out to be the largest in US history. Moreover, the Hangzhou based firm has been expanding its portfolio to improve its digital entertainment options. It is also acquiring stakes in some of the top Chinese video and content streaming companies.
In June, 2014, the company also bought a local soccer club. The strategy of Alibaba is similar to that of Amazon which is another internet retailer moving aggressively in to the streaming video and TV production market.
Photo Credits: Vancouversun
