Video sites ordered to remove unlicensed TV apps  

知情人士称广电总局令视频网站本周下架电视端APP

新京报记者从知情人士处确认，昨日中午广电总局再次约谈各家互联网视频企业，要求本周内所有视频网站开发的电视端APP下架，下周还未整改的，将取消其互联网视听牌照，并停止服务器。[查看全文]

(ECNS) – The Chinese broadcast authority has ordered online streaming sites to stop providing smart TV apps, the Beijing News reported on Friday, citing anonymous insiders.

On Thursday, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) ordered online video sites to pull all streaming apps for the TV platform. If not done by next week, the SARFT said it would revoke Internet video licenses and shut down the server.

In June, the SARFT halted the installation of video applications on streaming boxes and blocked the unauthorized transmission of online video content to televisions.

With this new order, smart TVs no longer have access to non-licensed video websites. The only way for users to get videos is to download them on PCs and copy them to TVs.

As policies tighten on video streaming, online video sites need to find a way to integrate their content into that of licensed content providers, or apply for licenses with the official radio and television system, an insider said.