The path to Internet stardom can be painful
Print Edition
A PRESENTER on live streaming platform Huajiao who underwent painful cosmetic surgery to improve her chances of becoming an Internet celebrity, says it was worth it.
Jing Qi endured five hours of rhinoplasty and facial fat injections which, she said, left her feeling “even worse than dead.”
The 27-year-old is among tens of thousands hoping to find online stardom as an anchor on the live video streaming phenomenon sweeping China’s media.
The fastest-emerging Internet sector barely existed three years ago but last year produced revenue of more than 30 billion yuan (US$4.3 billion) and, according to an estimate by investment bank China Renaissance Securities, is set to more than triple that by 2020.
“I want more people to watch me, to spend Huajiao coins on me,” Jing said, referring to the virtual gifts her online followers buy that she can later redeem for cash.
“In the end, I’ll be able to marry a tall, handsome and rich man,” she said.
The rapid growth of live streaming in China has attracted a rush of investment, led by tech heavyweights Tencent, Alibaba and Baidu. They hope live streaming can boost existing services in e-commerce, social networking and gaming.
Tencent, the country’s biggest online gaming and social networking company, is backing a slew of streaming and interactive entertainment firms, including gaming platform Douyu.
Alibaba’s Taobao marketplace launched a live-streaming platform early last year, allowing sellers to promote products to online viewers in real time.
The attraction is the estimated 344 million people who watch live streaming sites. And that is only about 47 percent of all Internet users in China. There are currently around 150 live streaming platforms, most producing entertainment shows.
Live streaming has also bolstered the growth of ancillary businesses, including agencies looking to find the next live streaming star, consumer loans, and even cosmetic surgery.
Deng Jian, chairman of Three Minute TV, an agency that provides 1,000 trained anchors to more than three dozen platforms, said his business operates a “militarized” production machine to feed the live streaming industry.
At an office building in Beijing, dozens of Deng’s female anchors work around the clock in three shifts. Each sits in a small booth, decorated to appear like a girl’s bedroom, facing a computer.
They sing and flirt with fans, encouraging them to buy virtual gifts, like a rose, sports car or villa. The cash for the gifts is split by the platforms, agencies and the anchor.
Three Minute TV also arranges cosmetic surgery at partner hospitals for its anchors, arranges bank loans for the surgery, photographs and markets the anchors and helps them find acting opportunities, Deng said.
After the spurt of growth in live streaming and the rush of platforms it spawned, the arrival of tech giants is pointing to consolidation in the sector, analysts said.
Authorities have also clamped down on streaming sites that provide illegal content.
In July, China’s culture ministry announced that it had shut down 4,313 online showrooms, firing or punishing more than 18,000 anchors. Twelve platforms, including heavyweights Panda TV, 6.CN and Douyu, were punished and ordered to make changes after offering illicit content that “promotes obscenity, violence, abets crime and damages social morality.”
Still, that hasn’t dented the hopes of thousands of young people who want to become Internet stars.
Jin Xing, founder of cosmetic surgery app Soyoung, estimates 95 percent of anchors have undergone cosmetic surgery to improve their looks. The app connects cosmetic surgery centers with clients.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
