China to get its very own Big Brother series, in a deal between Endemol and Youku Tudou.
Big Brother will now be viewed online in China as the show’s parent organization Endemol has struck a deal with Chinese internet video firm Youku Tudou. This will be the first time the global reality TV show will be viewed in the country in its Chinese version on the online video platform that claims to have over 500 million active users.
Youku Tudou generates 200 billion video views annually and can give the show access to millions of young users and fans, in a collaboration with Endemol China, the newly formed operation in Beijing. Big Brother China will run online for 10 weeks and will launch in early 2015.
This deal is in alignment with other similar movements in entertainment as viewers will also have access to the Chinese version of Educating the East End, in a deal that finalized in October 2014. The UK documentary format would be licensed to Hunan TV.
In 2011, the Chinese government had ordered satellite TV channels to cut the number of reality TV, dating and talk shows because of the “vulgar” influences they may have on the country’s youth.
Since online streaming sites have lesser restrictions than most TV channels, the trend of online viewing is bringing many shows on the medium. However, the regulators seem to have caught on, as they recently indicated a stricter regulatory environment for online video.
Photo Credits: unrealitytv.co.uk
