File photo in Desperate Housewives. Hollywood studios are set to break into China's massive Internet market as domestic video sites scramble to screen US movies and dramas on their digital platforms.

Hollywood studios are set to break into China's massive Internet market as domestic video sites scramble to screen U.S. movies and dramas on their digital platforms, a move which could also curb rampant piracy.

China's Youku's and Sohu's online video platforms have already cut deals withDisney and CBS Corporation to stream U.S. drama serials such as "Desperate Housewives," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Gossip Girl," and more such deals are expected.

This represents a lifelinefor Hollywood studios who have struggled to make money in China due to persistent piracy and the country's quota system that limits the number of foreign movies screened in theatres to 20 per year.

"Major Hollywood studios have struggled to find a viable business model in the China market and cooperating with China's online video sites for paid viewing of their content finally gives them a way to make money here," said Mark Natkin, managing director of Beijing-based consultancy Marbridge Consulting.

China is the world's largest Internet market, with more than 450 million Internet users, and online video firms are stepping up their fight to secure a bigger piece of the market share to win advertisers.

Advertising revenue in the domestic online video market, which was virtually non-existent five years ago, is now estimated to be worth 1 billion yuan ($155 million). This is expected to grow at double-digit rate for the time being.

Online video providers such as Youku have also started pay-per-viewfor some movies, thus giving them a new source of revenue.

Analysts say it's still too early to assess these deals' financial impact on Hollywood studios over the longer term, but agree that this offers a long-awaitedentry point for Disney and others to the world's second biggest economy.

For online video providers, buying international content is not cheap, with payments for licensing fees needed upfront. But it's well worth the risk given the rapid growth in the world's biggest Internet market and growing appetite for Western movies.

The country's biggest search engine Baidu has also ventured into this sector. Its Qiyi joint-venture with Providence Equity Partners has cut deals with Disney to show all seasons of Desperate Housewives, Cougar Town and Grey's Anatomy.

(Read by Renee Haines. Renee Haines is a journalist at the China Daily Website.)

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(Agencies)

随着国内视频网站纷纷将美国影视剧搬上数字播放平台，好莱坞各大电影公司也开始抢滩中国庞大的网络视频市场。影片在线播放也有助于遏制猖獗的盗版行为。

优酷和搜狐视频已经与迪斯尼和哥伦比亚广播公司签署协议，播放《绝望主妇》、《实习医生格蕾》、《绯闻女孩》等美剧。更多此类协议也指日可待。

这无疑是好莱坞片商的生命线。由于盗版猖獗，而且影院每年最多只能播放20部外国影片，好莱坞片商们在中国的钱着实不好挣。

迈博瑞咨询公司的总经理马克纳京说：“好莱坞的一些大公司一直想办法寻找中国市场可行的商业模式，而这种与在线视频网站合作的付费观看模式，使他们终于可以在这里挣到钱了。”

中国是世界上最大的互联网市场，用户超过4.5亿，网络视频公司争抢更大市场份额的竞争日趋激烈，以赢得广告商的青睐。

五年前，国内在线视频市场的广告收入近乎为零，而如今市场估值已达10亿元人民币（约合1.55亿美元）,而且还在以两位数的速度增长。

优酷等视频网站上如今还播放按次付费电影，成为新的收入来源。

分析人士指出，评价好莱坞公司能以此捞多少金为时尚早，但他们认为，这为迪斯尼和其他好莱坞公司进军中国这个全球第二大经济体打开了期待已久的大门。

对在线视频供应商来说，购买国际影视剧价格不菲，需要预先支付大笔许可费。但是考虑到世界最大的互联网市场的迅猛发展，和国人对西方电影日益增长的需求，还是值得一试。

中国最大的搜索引擎百度也打入了视频市场。百度旗下的奇艺视频网站已与迪斯尼公司签署协议，买下《绝望主妇》、《熟女镇》、《实习医生格蕾》的全集播出权。奇艺网是百度与美国私募股权投资公司普罗维登斯资本成立的合资公司。

来源：中国日报   编辑：许银娟