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(Yicai Global) Aug. 10 -- Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.'s [NYSSE:BABA] Ali Pictures said it will establish joint venture companies for variety shows and acting agents with Youku Inc., a video website operator under Alibaba.
The variety show JV will be founded by Ali Pictures and Youku. It will develop an entertainment variety shows that aim to provide information, reviews and commentaries on movies and television series. Youku, one of China's largest video sites, owns many popular internet variety shows.
Ali Pictures said in March that it would establish a JV for acting agents with Youku with the recruitment of new actors starting in May. The newly founded acting agents company will reportedly recruit outstanding talents for Ali Pictures' and Youku's movies and TV series as well as for related content collaborations.