Rumor: Baidu to Establish Online Literature Site
Sohu IT, 4/11/13
Chinese internet company Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU) is reportedly seeking to hire editors departing online literature site Qidian, a subsidiary of Shanda Interactive's online literature arm Shanda Cloudary, and is attempting to lure away Qidian authors with higher offers as part of a plan to set up its own online literature site.
Baidu's mobile reading, music, and gaming platform Baidu Duoku began soliciting authors and editors on online literature boards in late February. The site will reportedly release a PC client for Duoku Literature in late April. The PC version of the Duoku Literature site features only a standalone closed beta of the Duoku Literature publishing interface at present, but will be connected to the mobile version of the site following its official launch. Within a week of official launch, the number of Duoku authors will reportedly go from zero to 2,000.
According to an author contract released by Duoku, Baidu will make prompt payments of 80% of revenues to authors. Qidian offers authors a 50/50 split and requires authors to wait up to six months to receive payment. Baidu Duoku's contract also states that Baidu will only receive the online and wireless rights to authors' works, with all game, image, film and television, and comic book adaptation rights remaining the property of the author. Qidian, by comparison, arrogates the majority of licensing rights to itself.
Baidu will make use of the company's resources to promote authors and their works, including featured postings on its Post Bar, Baidu Reading, Baidu Duoku, Baidu Wenku, Baidupedia, and Baidu Zhidao sites for PC-side promotion, and postings in the Duoku Store, Post Bar, and Wenku on the mobile side. Baidu Duoku is currently developing its technology and API strategy.
Keywords: Internet Baidu online literature BIDU Duoku mobile reader HR
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