(Yicai) Nov. 12 -- China's state-owned broadcasters are ramping up production of artificial intelligence-generated dramas and building dedicated content platforms as they seek to counter growing competition from mobile short-video services.

Mango Excellent Media, Wasu Media Network and Hicon Network Technology are among the companies developing AI-powered platforms to automate content creation, Yicai learned.

The push into AI dramas marks a shift in broadcasters' business strategies, but profitability remains uncertain as revenue-sharing mechanisms and consumer payment models are still evolving.

Broadcasters Build AI Production Capabilities

Several broadcasters have already begun putting these plans into action. Hunan province-based entertainment company Mango established an AI-generated content innovation center this year and launched a dedicated AIGC channel on its Mango TV streaming platform.

Mango's Journey to the West: The Sequel, an AI-generated fantasy drama inspired by the Chinese literary classic Journey to the West, became China's first AI-generated long-form series to air on a television station. It has also attracted advertisers, including title sponsors.

Hangzhou-headquartered cable television and digital media operator Wasu has developed an AIGC platform called Shihua that streamlines short-drama production from scriptwriting to regulatory review, enabling mass production of AI-generated dramas featuring lifelike human characters, animated comic dramas and other animations.

Jinan-based digital media services provider Hicon has developed an AI platform that automates film and television production from concept to finished product. It has also begun collaborating with Chinese technology giant ByteDance's short-drama app Hongguo and short-video platform Douyin on AI-generated animated comic dramas.

AI is changing not just how broadcasters produce content but also how they organize their businesses. AI has evolved from a cost-cutting tool into a technology reshaping film and TV production, Dong Min, secretary-general of the China Video Industry Association, told Yicai.

Broadcaster-backed companies are rapidly expanding into AI short dramas by leveraging their existing TV distribution networks, Dong said. Many have elevated their AI content divisions to the same organizational level as traditional program production centers and have begun airing AI dramas on satellite TV channels.

A senior executive at a broadcasting company told Yicai that producing AI dramas is part of the industry's efforts to adapt to the pressure from mobile short-video services.

Broadcasters have technical and creative strengths in short-drama production, the insider said, adding that the AI specialists they attract can compete with those working for online video and short-drama platforms.

New Revenue Models Take Shape

Beyond changing production, AI short dramas are opening up new ways for broadcasters to make money, the above-mentioned executive said.

Unlike traditional films and TV series, which rely mainly on advertising and sponsorships, short dramas can generate additional revenue through on-demand viewing fees and sales of products featured in or promoted alongside the shows, models that consumers are increasingly embracing.

A new distribution platform demonstrates those opportunities. The Audiovisual Content Center of China's National Radio and Television Administration recently launched a video app called Juhaokan, offering an integrated channel for distributing dramas and sharing revenue.

Going forward, broadcasters could earn additional income by distributing their AI dramas beyond their own channels, the executive suggested.

Despite progress in production and distribution, turning AI dramas into a sustainable business will depend on mature revenue-sharing mechanisms, clear regulatory standards and households' willingness to pay for content on TV screens.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Emmi Laine