New Business Model Session

On the afternoon of June 27, the New Business Model Session, part of the 2025 Mini Series Global Outreach & Branding Conference, was held at the Oriental Media City in Shanghai. Centered on the theme "Monetization of Mini Series", the session explored how mini series can integrate deeply with all industries and professions, serving as a new vehicle for content dissemination across sectors, continually unlocking commercial potential and driving the industry's vitality. While reinforcing their dual identity as both creative works and informational products, the session demonstrated how mini series have grown from standalone content products into a full-fledged industry with the capacity to support a closed-loop commercial cycle. It is now accelerating the development of a competitive and collaborative "mini series+" ecosystem—one that fuses originality, monetization, and global expansion—injecting new momentum into the sustainable growth of the content industry.

As demand for high-quality mini series surges, their cultural and tourism value is coming to the forefront, with traffic effectively transforming into long-term user engagement. Chi Ming, Operations Director of Jinghong Culture, shared an innovative model that leverages traditional Chinese aesthetics to empower cultural tourism destinations, driving both visitor engagement and commercial monetization. Chi noted that mini series themed around Chinese cultural tourism have become increasingly popular in recent years, particularly among younger audiences. The fusion of animation and comics content with Chinese-style culture is experiencing rapid growth. "Fostering co-creation and aligning with market trends can promote content innovation and the growth of related industries in scenic areas," he said.

Chi Ming, Operations Director of Jinghong Culture, delivers a presentation

Chi Ming also shared a number of cross-industry cooperation plans, such as collaborations with domestic and international bloggers, animation and game IP providers, as well as the integration with traditional intangible cultural heritage. He emphasized, "The commercialization of mini series is reflected not only in content production, but also in the deep integration of content with the IP and branding of scenic spots, and in the creation of a multi-dimensional closed-loop marketing system."

Chen Jiajun, CEO of Jing'an Film & TV, delivers a speech on criminal investigation-themed mini series at the conference

The entry of criminal investigation themes into mini series offers a new pathway for translating complex professional knowledge into accessible and compelling narratives. Chen Jiajun, CEO of Jing'an Film & TV, stated that through mini series, they aim to portray real-life criminal investigation and challenge stereotypes surrounding the profession, as he believes mini series in this genre should serve both an educational function and a broader social purpose. "In reality, criminal police rarely wear leather jackets. Through mini series, we can present their daily lives more authentically and convey a warmer, more accurate image of their role," he explained. "Jing'an Film & TV is currently producing a slate of high-quality mini series, including titles focused on anti-fraud and criminal investigation. These works convey specialized knowledge to the public through stories and characters, covering investigative practices and case-handling procedures, with the goal of restoring authenticity, enhancing communication impact, and unlocking new commercial value.

Antonian Maxim Igorevich, Program Distribution Director of Media Technology, delivered a keynote speech focusing on the latest trends and cooperation potential in the Russian mini series market. Maxim pointed out that MTS Media, a subsidiary of Russian telecoms operator MTS, is actively developing a "vertical mini series" project for young groups. The project is defined as an artistic expression form with each episode lasting no more than two minutes, covering popular themes such as drama, comedy, love, and knowledge. This model closely coincides with China's booming mini series market, offering new opportunities for the collaboration between two nations in the content field.

Antonian Maxim Igorevich, Program Distribution Director of Media Technology

Maxim stated that micro formats are becoming the next growth engine of the global content industry. With their fast pace, lightweight nature, and strong rhythm, they hold great potential for global outreach—particularly well-suited for social platforms dominated by young audiences and mobile-first consumption scenarios. At the end of his speech, Maxim extended a sincere invitation to Chinese content producers, looking forward to in-depth collaboration with Chinese teams in areas such as mini series creation, distribution, platform placement, and beyond, with the aim of bringing Chinese stories to a broader global stage.