Alibaba’s Youku selects Irdeto Rights for ChinaDRM

[Len]

Youku, the Alibaba-owned online video streaming service provider, has selected Irdeto Rights for ChinaDRM to safeguard premium content delivery.

Youku will also deploy Irdeto TraceMark for mobile, PC and OTT VOD for its paid subscription service to detect and combat content theft and redistribution piracy. Youku is one of China’s largest online streaming video platforms with over 580 million unique subscribers.

OTT subscriptions in China are booming. In 2018, these services are expected to draw over 229 million viewers and are forecasted to triple in size within the next five years. In addition, mobile, PC and OTT set-top box (STB) related spending grew 160% in 2017 due to increasing affordability, faster internet connection speeds and increasing demand for premium content from a new generation of affluent consumers. In order to take advantage of this explosive growth, Youku needs to continually innovate its premium offerings and secure those investments to maintain a competitive edge.

“As demand for mobile, PC and OTT STBs continues to grow, it is crucial for Youku to deploy the right mix of content protection solutions to enhance our customers’ viewing experience,” said Xin Shi, Head of Engineering, Youku.

“With Irdeto, Youku is able to accelerate the release of new content in China, including premium 4K UHD content, while detecting and fighting against redistribution piracy. By meeting the standards set by Hollywood studios, Irdeto’s solutions secure premium video delivery with ChinaDRM so that we are able to focus on expanding our market potential.”

“Our partnership with Youku helps them provide a high-quality viewing experience for their customers while also meeting the rigorous ChinaDRM standards,” Bengt Jonsson, Senior Vice President, Sales & Services, Irdeto. “Looking ahead, we are excited to explore new opportunities in the market and bring multi-DRM support to content operators as consumers continue to demand high-quality multiscreen experiences.”

Irdeto Rights for ChinaDRM is the first government-approved DRM solution in China that is fully compliant with the standards set by Hollywood studios for premium 4K UHD and early release content. It is offered together with Irdeto TraceMark forensic watermarking which passed ChinaDRM Lab’s inaugural security evaluation test last year.