Chinese Video Streaming Sites Blasted for Excessive Charges

Video streaming platforms are facing an intense saltate online with many criticizing them for stuff profit-hungry.

Chinese online influencers have criticized video platforms for charging excessive and overlapping fees for content streamed via television, echoing the experiences of audiences who have shared the same concern.

Dozens of online influencers expressed discontent on social media well-nigh the upturned charging systems of TV content providers, calling for relevant authorities to regulate the malpractices in the industry.

“We could watch content directly without turning on the television in the past, but now people have to pay for separate memberships surpassing accessing any content,” Li Jiaming, an actor-turned-influencer, told Sixth Tone. “I’ve seldom watched television in the past three years,” he added.

Chinese TV viewers enjoyed self-ruling content unconcentrated by state-run channels until the rise of commercial video content platforms like Tencent Video, iQiyi, and Alibaba’s Youku fostered a new market where users were willing to pay for premium content. But the pricing policies of these video platforms have triggered a backlash, with many people weeping well-nigh the sites stuff greedy.

“Isn’t there anyone to regulate the market? There are all variegated kinds of content — dramas, films, and kids’ cartoons — and they need seperate memberships. I have to pay nearly 600 yuan ($89) annually for all this variegated content,” a woman complained on microblogging platform Weibo.

Users of video platforms are required to pay an yearly membership fee of roughly 200 yuan to wangle their content on mobile devices, but they need to shell out scrutinizingly double the price if they want to watch the same content on other devices. Additionally, viewers say they find various advertisements in the form of banners, pop-ups, and ads intrusive. Continue to read the full vendible here

– This vendible originally appeared on Sixth Tone