BEIJING, Sept. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- iQIYI, an
independently operated subsidiary of Baidu (NASDAQ: BIDU) and one of the largest Internet and
mobile video service providers in China, today announced that it will launch a
highly anticipated TV series prior to its broadcast premier, highlighting its efforts
to offer more diversified services to its paid users.
iQIYI paid users will enjoy access to the series called
"Shu Shan Zhan Ji," for which iQIYI has acquired the
exclusive online rights, several months before its TV premier.
"The ability to view premium content before it airs on broadcast
TV has proven highly popular among iQIYI subscribers," said
Xianghua Yang, iQIYI senior vice
president. "Our recent trial with 'Notes of Tomb Raiders'
demonstrated that Chinese viewers are willing to pay to watch
high-quality content as soon as possible. We will continue to
explore new ways to offer our members an even better online viewing
experience."
This is the first time in China
that a highly anticipated, star-driven TV series will be aired
online prior to its TV premier. In the past, TV series have been
either broadcast first on television, or simultaneously on both
television and online platforms. With "Notes of Tomb
Raiders," iQIYI began testing a new
distribution model, highlighting its growing cooperation with cable
TV networks for the distribution of premium content in China.
Building on the success of "Tomb Raiders," "Shu Shan Zhan
Ji" will adopt a new distribution model
enabling subscription users to access premium content earlier,
representing a step forward in the evolution away from advertising
to a subscription based revenue model for premium
content.
iQIYI's self-produced TV series "Notes of Tomb Raiders," released in June
2015, was produced exclusively for online viewers and will
not be shown in television. It has enjoyed enormous popularity in
China and has helped to drive the
strong popularity of iQIYI's subscription service.
iQIYI has built one of the largest movie libraries in
China's online video industry and
recently announced an agreement with Paramount Pictures to acquire
the Internet broadcast rights for 800 existing and future
movies.
According to a recently released App
Annie report, in July 2015 the
Company's "iQIYI Video HD" app ranked as the 6th most downloaded
app worldwide and 9th by revenue. The app also ranked among the top
five iOS Entertainment apps in China by monthly active users.
About iQIYI
Founded in April 2010, iQIYI is
one of the largest Internet and mobile video service providers in
China. An independently operated
subsidiary of Baidu, the world's largest Chinese search engine,
iQIYI is focused on providing Chinese users with the best possible
online video experience, and has become an industry leader in
developing innovative products and technologies.
For media inquiries, please contact:
iQIYI Inc.
Sophie
Yu
Director of International Communications
yuxiaofei@qiyi.com
Foote Group
Yajun
Zhang
+86 (10) 8429-9544
yajun@thefootegroup.com
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SOURCE iQIYI