China Media News

SAPPRFT has issued public notices to set-top-box reseller, OTT systems and TV set manufacturers re-iterating the policy that only licensed broadcasters (i.e. state owned entities) can place “channels” on Smart TVs or OTT boxes. The move comes after a wide range of OTT box and television manufactures were including apps linking to online video sites such as youku/tudou, iQiyi and others. Services offered by Zhejiang's Wasu and Shanghai's BesTV, two of the most successful IPTV services, were singled out. According to the SAPPRFT notice, “Internet TV boxes supplied by Wasu and Shanghai Media Group’s IP TV platform BesTV contain pathways to iQiyi, Sohu TV, Youku.Tudou and other VOD sites. This breaks the rules of state policy.”