Future TV Co

What Future TV Co does

Future TV Co (未来电视有限公司), branded as NewTV, is a Chinese internet television (OTT) platform operator and licensed content aggregator established on March 24, 2010 and headquartered in the Tianjin Airport Free Trade Zone. It is a state-controlled entity under CCTV.com / China Media Group (中央广播电视总台央视网), holding one of the first integrated internet TV service licenses issued by China's State Administration of Radio and Television. The company operates a platform-plus-product-matrix architecture with two flagship consumer applications — 央视频TV/CCTV.新视听 and NewTV极光 (the latter built on a deep strategic partnership with Tencent Video) — plus a suite of vertically-targeted sub-brands: 怡伴 (elderly care with dedicated hardware), 趣果儿 (children's animation), 哒啵电竞 (esports), 炫舞未来 (square dance), and SinowTV (international Chinese diaspora content).

The platform is built on proprietary technology including China's first self-developed ChinaDRM digital rights management system for 4K/8K content using AVS3/AVS2 encoding and SM2/SM3/SM4 encryption, a multi-modal AI content tagging system, an intelligent content review platform, AIGC-driven comic-drama production tools, and 5G+4K+VR panoramic video capabilities. Distribution occurs through OEM pre-installation on 50+ Chinese smart TV and set-top box brands (Hisense, Skyworth, TCL, Sony, Xiaomi, Huawei, OPPO, Changhong, Haier, and others), reaching 3.9 billion cumulative activated users domestically as of June 2025. Internationally, Future TV operates approximately 1,000 social media channels reaching 1.7 billion+ subscribers across 100+ countries, generating 60 billion+ monthly views, with content distributed through YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Roku, Telkom Indonesia, ItalkBB, Viki, iFlix, Cellcard Cambodia, and a proprietary Sinow streaming app, plus in-flight entertainment on Emirates Airlines.

Future TV monetizes through seven revenue streams: VIP subscription fees for premium content access, display and targeted advertising on large-screen inventory, copyright licensing to domestic and international platforms, e-commerce (央央好物 platform), hardware sales (the 怡伴 smart companion device), pay-per-view transactional purchases, and overseas content distribution services including multi-language adaptation. Its go-to-market combines B2B licensing agreements with device manufacturers and telecom operators (B2B2C), B2C subscription through proprietary apps and app-store distribution, and B2B partnerships with YouTube, Google Cloud, AWS, Huawei (OpenHarmony), and others for the international AIGC creator ecosystem. The company has operated without external equity financing, with funding from operational revenue and parent China Media Group support, and has been recognized as a National Key Cultural Export Enterprise for 10 consecutive years.

Name

Future TV Co

Legal name

未来电视有限公司

Website

https://chinaott.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Future TV Co (NewTV) is a state-controlled Chinese OTT internet TV platform under CCTV/China Media Group, aggregating CCTV and Tencent Video content across 50+ smart TV brands and 100+ countries, reaching 3.9 billion cumulative activated users via proprietary apps, vertical sub-brands, and YouTube/Amazon distribution partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Internet TV (OTT) Platform / Online Video Streaming Services

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (512120)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829), Cable & Other Pay Television Services (4841)

akta.pro primary industry

OTT Platform CMS & Content Operations (Catalog, Scheduling, Workflows) (MPAHAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Subscriber Identity, Entitlements & Access (SSO, IAM, Paywall) (MPAHAJAB), Billing, Payments & Subscription Management (MPAHAJAC), Localization Project Management & Vendor Services (Workflow, Scheduling, Vendor Management) (MPAHAFAC), Customer Support, CRM & Retention Tooling (Helpdesk, Churn, Messaging) (MPAHAJAM)

Keywords

• Internet TV platform
• OTT content distribution
• Licensed broadcast services
• Vertical content ecosystems
• AIGC content overseas

Headquarters

HQ city

Tianjin

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. 会员订阅 (Subscription): VIP membership fees for premium content access across 央视频TV, NewTV极光 and other apps. Users pay recurring subscription fees for ad-free viewing and exclusive content.
2. 广告 (Advertising): Display and targeted advertising across the platform's large-screen inventory, including personalized ads based on viewing behavior and demographics.
3. 版权授权与运营 (Copyright Licensing): Licensing of premium Chinese content (drama, movies, documentaries, anime) to overseas platforms (YouTube, Amazon, Roku, etc.) and domestic operators, including multi-territory and multi-language distribution agreements.
4. 电商 (E-commerce): 总台电商 platform '央央好物' offering products via 央视频 APP, Douyin, Kuaishou, combining big-screen promotion with mobile checkout. Also includes e-commerce within 趣果儿 (toys) and 炫舞乐购 (dance merchandise).
5. 硬件销售 (Hardware Sales): Sale of 怡伴 smart companion device for elderly users — a dedicated smart TV/tablet product with large screen, large font, large volume, and 6-hour battery life. Sold through distributors, community KOLs, brand partnerships, and custom solutions.
6. 付费点播 (Pay-per-view / Transactional): Individual paid content purchases for specific movies, dramas, or premium programs beyond subscription tier.
7. 内容出海服务 (Content Overseas Distribution Services): End-to-end international content distribution services including multi-language adaptation, social media operations, and monetization support for third-party Chinese content creators through the 光帆计划.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels12 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Future TV Co operates China's licensed internet TV (OTT) platform under the 中国互联网电视 broadcast call sign, aggregating CCTV premium content and Tencent Video's library for distribution across smart TVs, set-top boxes and projectors. The company delivers content through its flagship applications 央视频TV/CCTV.新视听 and NewTV极光, vertical-content sub-brands (怡伴 for seniors, 趣果儿 for children, 哒啵电竞 for esports, 炫舞未来 for square dance), the 怡伴 smart-companion hardware device, and the 光帆计划 AIGC content-overseas program with YouTube, supported by proprietary ChinaDRM digital rights management and an AI-driven content production and review stack.

Product overview

Future TV Co (未来电视有限公司) 是中央广播电视总台央视网旗下自主可控、具有强大影响力的互联网电视新媒体机构，以“中国互联网电视”为播出呼号，在全球开展互联网电视业务运营。公司采用平台+产品矩阵的架构：核心产品包括央视频TV/CCTV.新视听（与腾讯视频深度合作的互联网电视大屏应用）、NewTV极光（与腾讯视频合作的互联网电视应用）；垂直化子品牌包括趣果儿（少儿动漫）、哒啵电竞（泛电竞）、炫舞未来（广场舞）、怡伴（银发养老服务）、SinowTV（国际版）；创新业务包括乐活项目（银发全场景服务）、未来应用（应用商店）、超高清专区、智慧全景声影音空间、央央好物电商、直播卫星+OTT融合业务、AIoT智能家庭等；国际业务以光帆计划为核心，通过YouTube等全球平台推动AIGC内容出海。运营覆盖国内外主流智能终端，累计激活用户规模超过3.4亿户。

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 央视频TV/CCTV.新视听: 中央广播电视总台央视网自主可控的新媒体传播阵地，聚合央视王牌节目及腾讯视频等优质内容。
• NewTV极光
• 怡伴
• 趣果儿
• 哒啵电竞
• 炫舞未来
• 未来应用
• 光帆计划

Products and services

• 央视频TV / CCTV.新视听 (Yangshipin TV) Self-controlled new-media distribution platform under CCTV.com aggregating flagship CCTV programming and Tencent Video content with categories covering news, TV drama, movies, variety shows, documentaries and sports, with AI-driven features including栏目化联播, 听电视 (listen to TV) and AI识图智能推荐. Pre-installed on 50+ TV brands.
• NewTV极光 (NewTV Aurora) Internet TV application broadcast-controlled by Future TV in deep cooperation with Tencent Video, combining CCTV premium content authority with Tencent's breadth across dozens of categories including TV series, movies, variety, anime and sports. Fully covers domestic and international mainstream TV terminals.
• 怡伴智能陪伴机 (Yiban Smart Companion Device) Smart companion hardware product purpose-built for middle-aged and elderly users, positioned as an intelligent elderly-care audiovisual and lifestyle service platform. Features large screen, large font, large volume, built-in 6-hour battery life, and aggregates health/wellness and entertainment functions.
• 趣果儿 (Quguoer Children Platform) Children-oriented content and IP platform aggregating vast children's anime catalogs, hundreds of UP-creator collaborations, over 100,000 minutes of exclusive copyright resources, self-produced programs on toy/collectible IP launches, activities and licensed toy first releases.
• 哒啵电竞 (Dabo Esports) Full-scenario, all-age esports brand aggregating hundreds of exclusive streamers and over 1,000 hot esports programs covering 王者荣耀, 绝地求生, 穿越火线, 皇室战争 pro leagues and other major games for big-screen esports viewing.
• 炫舞未来 (Xuanwu Future Square Dance Platform) National-level square dance platform serving billions of square-dance enthusiasts since 2018, with support from China Dancers Association and State Sports Administration, built on content subscription + community operations + e-commerce monetization + derivative development model, reaching 320 million users.
• SinowTV (International Streaming App) International-market streaming application providing Chinese video-streaming multimedia services to overseas users across Southeast Asia, North America, Australia and Europe through partnerships with local telecom operators and device manufacturers.
• 光帆计划 (Guangfan Plan AIGC Overseas Ecosystem) AIGC content-overseas initiative co-launched by Future TV and YouTube to build a global AI creator ecosystem, providing end-to-end overseas support and three-solution breakthroughs (cultural adaptation, compliance risk, commercial monetization) for content creators.
• Future TV Developer Platform (SDK Suite) Licensed SDK product suite including Authentication SDK, Log SDK, Advertisement SDK, User SDK, Payment SDK, Playback Authentication SDK, Upgrade SDK and Player SDK, provided to third-party developers for integration into smart TV applications and devices through developer.chinaott.net.

Quantifiable outcome

• AI translation and localization reduces overseas content distribution costs by 60%
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration15 records

AI capability8 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered major, supporting, core and flagship.

• 智联招聘 (Zhaopin)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2026Deep employment cooperation with the 光帆杯 AIGC competition, providing offline campus presentations on industry trends and employment prospects, and operating a dedicated online recruitment zone. This bridges the gap between university creative talent and industry employment, supporting Future TV's talent pipeline for AI content production.
• 亚马逊云 (Amazon Cloud)majorTechnology or Integration · 17 June 2026Technology partner for the 光帆杯 competition, providing cloud computing infrastructure (AWS) and AIGC technical support to reduce creators' technical barriers and enhance content production efficiency. Amazon Cloud supports the global distribution and infrastructure needs of Future TV's international operations.
• 华讯网络supportingTechnology or Integration · 17 June 2026Technical partner for the 光帆杯 competition, providing AIGC infrastructure and support to competition participants.
• 米粿AIsupportingTechnology or Integration · 17 June 2026AI technology partner providing AIGC tools and support for the 光帆杯 competition, lowering the barrier to entry for AI content creation.
• 阅文集团majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2026Opens its proprietary IP resource library to 光帆杯 participants, enabling creators to develop content based on licensed intellectual property while ensuring compliance with copyright regulations.
• 掌阅科技supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2026Opens proprietary IP resources to 光帆杯 competition participants for creative content development.
• 北京友和supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2026Opens IP resources to 光帆杯 competition participants, contributing to the creative ecosystem.
• Way to AGI (WaytoAGI社群)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026AI creator community partner that organized the 'AI漫剧内容创作训练营' (AI Manhua Training Camp) with deep support from Future TV. The training camp attracted over 4,000 registrations and connected 1,000+ creators. This community serves as a key talent pipeline for the 光帆计划 ecosystem.
• 华为/开源鸿蒙 (Huawei/OpenHarmony)coreTechnology or Integration · 24 May 2025作为开源鸿蒙TV SIG首批成员单位，央视频TV推出鸿蒙版本，成为首批支持开源鸿蒙操作系统的互联网电视应用。双方在系统级原生智能、分布式协同、低延迟高画质适配等方面相互赋能，共同推动大屏生态繁荣。
• YouTube (Google)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 March 2025Jointly launched the '光帆计划' (Guangfan Plan) — AI Creator Overseas Alliance — at the 12th China Network Audiovisual Conference. This is Future TV's flagship AIGC content overseas initiative, combining YouTube's global platform and monetization ecosystem with Future TV's content operations and AI technology capabilities. The partnership focuses on solving three core challenges: cultural adaptation, compliance risk, and commercial monetization for AI-generated content. The partnership was further deepened with the '光帆杯 AIGC出海大挑战' competition launched in June 2026, offering 1 million RMB in creative incentives.
• Google (Google Cloud AI)coreTechnology or Integration · 28 March 2025Google provides AI technology capabilities including video production model tools (Veo) and cloud infrastructure for AI content creation, supporting the 光帆计划 ecosystem. Google Cloud AI experts participate in international intelligent communication forums co-hosted by Future TV. The partnership enables AI-powered content production and distribution optimization.
• 国家广播电视总局发展研究中心coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 March 2025Co-hosted the 'Intelligent International Communication: Global Audiovisual New Ecosystem in the Age of Artificial Intelligence' forum at the 12th China Network Audiovisual Conference. The research center published the '广电视听生成式人工智能应用与发展报告' (AI Report) with Future TV providing industry data and case studies. This collaboration positions Future TV as a thought leader in AI-driven audiovisual industry transformation.
• 腾讯视频 (Tencent Video)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeep strategic cooperation for NewTV极光 — a joint internet TV application combining CCTV's authoritative content with Tencent Video's extensive library of dramas, movies, variety shows, and anime. The partnership creates a comprehensive big-screen entertainment platform covering dozens of content categories with the latest and most popular Chinese productions.
• 海思 (HiSilicon)supportingTechnology or IntegrationJoint founding member of OpenHarmony TV SIG alongside Future TV and Huawei, contributing chip and hardware technology capabilities to the open-source smart TV ecosystem.
• Amazon (Prime Video)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFuture TV publishes over 60 Chinese programs (TV series, documentaries, movies) on Amazon Prime Video. Costume dramas have been particularly successful with international audiences, achieving approximately 80% five-star ratings. The partnership serves as a major channel for Chinese cultural content export.
• Telkom IndonesiamajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrategic cooperation agreement to operate fixed broadcast channels of Chinese TV programs in Indonesia. Future TV provides content authorization and translation services, while Telkom provides local distribution infrastructure and market access.
• ItalkBBmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides live broadcast, replay, and on-demand Chinese entertainment to ItalkBB's 300,000 Chinese telephone subscribers in North America (1 in 6 Chinese families in North America). Partnership combines top global network infrastructure with Future TV's content operations.
• Techlive (UK)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides 8 Chinese TV channels for European hotel properties, delivering Chinese entertainment content to international hotel guests across European territories.
• Emirates AirlinessupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides on-demand Chinese entertainment programming for Emirates' in-flight entertainment system since April 2019, reaching premium global travelers on one of the world's largest airlines.
• Cellcard (Cambodia)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-developed a mobile app with Cellcard Cambodian telecom operator, providing live TV and video-on-demand services on mobile terminals, including a 'Learn Chinese by Watching TV Series' column in Khmer language.
• TVB (香港电视广播)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Television Broadcasts Limited for content exchange and distribution, expanding content offerings on Future TV's international platforms.
• Roku, Viki, iFlixsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContent licensing partnerships with Roku streaming platform, Viki (Rakuten), and iFlix for multi-platform international content distribution.
• 百度 (Baidu)supportingTechnology or IntegrationBaidu participated in the AI international communication forum co-hosted by Future TV, sharing insights on AIGC global regulatory trends and strategies for Chinese content overseas distribution. Technology partner for AI content tools.
• 亚马逊云科技 (Amazon Web Services)supportingTechnology or IntegrationAWS China team analyzed Amazon's generative AI technology solutions for media industry scenarios at the Future TV co-hosted AI forum, providing technical expertise for the AI content ecosystem.
• 中国网络视听节目服务协会互联网电视工作委员会flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFuture TV serves as the chairman unit of this industry committee, established in 2017 with seven license holders. The committee leads industry governance initiatives including the '双治理' (dual governance) work on subscription fee complexity and operational simplification, and launched the internet TV client number and application whitelist management platform.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Youku (优酷): Alibaba-backed OTT streaming platform with significant smart TV presence. Comparable as a competing internet TV app on Chinese smart TVs with overlapping content (drama, movies, variety shows) and similar monetization (VIP subscriptions, advertising).
• iQIYI (爱奇艺): Major Chinese OTT streaming platform with a licensed internet TV operator (iQIYI OTT) pre-installed on smart TVs. Directly comparable in business model (subscription + advertising + content licensing), target market (smart TV households), and regulatory positioning.
• Tencent Video (腾讯视频): China's largest paid OTT video platform by subscribers. Directly comparable as Future TV's NewTV极光 app is built on a deep content integration with Tencent Video, making them both partners and direct competitors in the smart TV internet TV space.
• Mango TV (芒果TV): Hunan Broadcasting System-backed OTT platform and one of the seven licensed internet TV operators in China. Comparable as a state-affiliated internet TV peer with similar regulatory positioning and focus on premium content aggregation.
• iQIYI International: International arm of iQIYI focused on distributing Chinese content overseas. Directly comparable to Future TV's international ambitions via Sinow app, YouTube, Amazon, and Roku partnerships — competing for the same overseas Chinese content market.
• Wasu Media (华数传媒): One of the seven licensed internet TV operators in China, with strong Hangzhou/Zhejiang regional presence. Comparable as a licensed internet TV peer operating pre-installed apps on smart TVs with mixed subscription, advertising, and licensing revenue.
• CIBN Internet TV (国广东方): Another licensed internet TV operator in China backed by CIBN/CNR. Comparable as one of the seven internet TV license holders with similar regulatory positioning, smart TV pre-installation model, and content aggregation approach.

Emerging players

• Bilibili (哔哩哔哩): China's leading video community platform, increasingly expanding into smart TV (TV version of B站). Comparable as a content aggregation and community-driven platform targeting younger demographics, partially overlapping with Future TV's 趣果儿 (children) and 哒啵电竞 (esports) verticals.

Broad incumbents

• Viu ( PCCW media): Pan-regional OTT streaming service focused on Asian content distribution in Southeast Asia, Middle East, and Africa. Comparable to Future TV's international expansion via Sinow and 1.7亿+ overseas subscriber footprint in similar geographic markets.

Others

• TCL Smart TV (雷鸟 / FFalcon): Major Chinese smart TV manufacturer (and Future TV OEM partner) increasingly building its own content/OTT offering. Comparable as a smart TV ecosystem participant with both hardware and software content ambitions, representing both a partner and a potential competitive threat.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/chinaonetv
• Facebookfacebook.com/Future-TV-Co-Ltd-135267136663646
• Instagraminstagram.com/cctv_newtv
• Xx.com/futuretv2

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Future TV Co