Netflix announced the DIY device called The Switch. (Photo : Reuters)
The broadcast materials of Netflix will soon land on China as the company is currently in talks with Chinese online broadcasting firms, the executives of the involved Chinese parties stated.
The move follows the firm's announcement that they are aggressively intending to expand globally as its subscriber growth in the United States has experienced a recent slowdown.
The executives said, however, that the talks are still in the early stages, adding that the deal could face various complications such as Chinese censors and some potentially objectionable Netflix programming content.
According to Xu Feng, Shanghai-based BesTV New Media Co.'s vice president, the company would "love to cooperate with Netflix considering its global influence." However, he has also raised concerns over some "obstacles, including policy restrictions on foreign online content."
Alibaba-backed Wasu Media Holding Co., an online media company, said that it has also spoken with Netflix, but shared the same sentiment about the new restrictions on Web-based content.
Asked about Netflix's comment on the issue, a spokeswoman has declined to provide a statement.
"House of Cards," a Netflix original top-billed by Kevin Spacey, is already famous in China, with avid viewers including the country's powerful anti-corruption ambassador, Wang Qishan.
The series' first two seasons have gathered positive and overwhelming viewership results in the Chinese video streaming site operated by Sohu.com, Inc. However, the show's third season has not been aired on the portal yet after new Chinese restrictions were issued.
This delay has led to some fans illegally downloading the third season, making China the top pirated video downloader of the recent "House of Cards" episodes, the piracy-monitoring company Excipio reported.
