On August 22, LeTV announced that the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television has recently approved the move of all users on the LeTV Internet TV platform to the integrated platform of China Radio International Internet TV (CIBN Internet TV).
The announcement indicated that the main content of the approval was to agree to move all users on the LeTV Internet TV platform to the CIBN Internet TV integration platform. While carrying out the relocation work, LeTV's existing Internet TV platform will be closed simultaneously, including Internet set-top boxes and all-in-ones.
The announcement also stated that the current users of LeTV.com's existing Internet TV platforms are transferred from CIBN Internet TV to the “Regulations on the Administration of Audiovisual Programs for Private Networks and Directed Communication†and “Requirements for Operation and Management of Internet TV License Organizations†issued by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television. The prescribed requirements are implemented and the corresponding Internet TV content services are provided. After obtaining the approval, LeTV.com officially launched cooperation with CIBN Internet TV. Users on the original Internet TV platform of LeTV.com will continue to receive legal and compliant content services provided by CIBN Internet TV.
According to reports, as early as July 2014, it was reported that the General Administration of Radio, Film and Television issued a document requiring seven integrated service licensees to stop collaborating with “seriously violating Internet companies†including LeTV. Affected by this, LeTV will stop at two consecutive days on July 16 and 17. Subsequently, on July 18, LeTV.com suspended the license and issued a clarification announcement, acknowledging that the cooperation with CCTV was in violation of regulations and was required to be rectified, and suspended cooperation with other licensees other than CCTV.
During this period, LeTV had previously released the LeTV box from the official website and has not sold it publicly since then.
However, it is necessary to point out that LeTV’s “Super TV†is not directly sold as a LeTV box because it is outside the target of the Radio 181 document, but even so, “unlicensed†TV is still in a policy vacuum. , has long been considered to be LeTV's greatest potential risk.
In order to circumvent this risk, LeTV also made many efforts in the past two years. In August 2014, LeTV.com announced the acquisition of Chongqing Cable TV Network Co., Ltd. of Chongqing Radio and TV Holdings. LeTV said in the announcement that it would apply for a license for Internet TV content to SARFT jointly with Chongqing Radio and Television. This move was also interpreted by the outside world as a LeTV curve for licensing.
The landing of this license also means that the policy risks of LeTV and the box can be ruled out. The previously suspended LeTV box is expected to be re-launched.