Internet TV boxes ordered to uninstall video streaming apps   

传广电总局发函关闭互联网电视盒子视频客户端

关于广电总局发函要求关闭互联网盒子视频客户端的消息开始在网上广为传播。报道称，国家新闻出版广电总局网络司近日针对互联网电视牌照商，下发了关于立即关闭互联网电视终端产品中违规视频软件下载通道的函。[查看全文]

(ECNS)— China's video streaming industry is booming, but businesses may have hit the wall with a new government policy.

The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) ordered television bureaus in Shanghai and Zhejiang province to halt installation of video applications on streaming boxes, and to block the unauthorized transmission of online video content to televisions, according to lmtw.com, a website focuses on the streaming media industry.

The SARFT gave the green light only to licensed Internet video content on Huashu TV and BesTV, while criticized several major streaming services and video providers for transmitting content that is "politically wrong," sexual or copyright infringing.

Huashu TV and BesTV have their own copyrighted content, but still stream videos from other online providers through video apps to gain a larger market share.

Industry analysts interpret the policy as a rigid control over the video streaming industry, and that Internet video content providers and streaming media box providers will soon feel the chill.

Those that have established cooperative relationships with licensed video providers, such as iQIYI and PPTV, could still run their licensed content, with the rest of the videos probably unable to reach televisions. Others like Sohu, Youku and Tencent might get kicked out of living rooms as they don't have the platform to stream videos anymore.

However, experts say China's video streaming industry is yet to reach its peak, and policies won't remain fixed.