Advanced Television

Viki partners with Baidu

December 19, 2013

Viki, the global TV site powered by fans, has announced a partnership with leading Chinese language Internet search provider Baidu to bring fully-licensed TV shows and movies from around the world to the 237 million monthly active users of Baidu’s video search in China. Viki will begin streaming hundreds of hours of TV programming from around the world, translated by fans into Chinese and English.

Viki is the first global video streaming site to partner with Baidu Video with the largest user base in both the PC and mobile markets. Viki will offer full-length movies, dramas, comedies, anime and other shows from the US, UK, Taiwan, Korea, Japan and 10 other countries and regions. The content can be found at v.baidu.com and will be available across multiple platforms, including PC and smart mobile devices.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Baidu, one of the premier Internet brands in the world, to bring the best of global TV to Chinese viewers,” said Razmig Hovaghimian, CEO and co-founder of Viki. “We’re also opening up Chinese content including dramas, web movies and series to the rest of the world, breaking down barriers between great entertainment and fans everywhere.”

China is seen as the world’s largest video market with 450 million online video viewers, or nearly 80 per cent of its Internet-connected population. Netflix , YouTube and other popular streaming sites currently do not have access in China.

Viki is a subsidiary of Japanese Internet services giant Rakuten, with offices in San Francisco, Singapore, Seoul and Tokyo, and plans to open an office in Shanghai in early 2014.

 

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