1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
Live TV
Latest audioLatest videos
In focus
Russia's war in UkraineIsrael-Hamas warIndia elections

Live-streaming stars

August 30, 2016

Live-streaming is going mainstream as a money-maker in China. For those with the talent, it's an easy and straightforward way to make a chunk of change. The top streamers have become internet stars.

https://p.dw.com/p/1J1k6
DW Shift Livestreams
Image: Zhang Qige/Qihuang

These streamers are a refreshing change from China's monotonous state-controlled television. All they need is a webcam and a die-hard sense of fun. Their programs feature dancing, singing, gaming and strolls around Beijing and other Chinese cities. One cult star is 23-year-old Zhang Qige. Hundreds of thousands of fans watch her play computer games and chat with her live. She's collected over two million subscribers on the live-streaming platform Douyu TV and averages some 400,000 viewers per show. That adds up to over one million yuan in annual revenues, or some 130,000 euros.