CASHING IN

Tencent is making its own series and purchasing copyrights for TV dramas for exclusive streaming. Xu Fan reports.

Sun Zhonghuai and his colleagues from China's Tencent Holdings Ltd were once curious about the economics of HBO's hit television series Westworld, a sci-fi thriller depicting rebellious androids.

Based on their experience of investing in TV shows, it would have been difficult for the big-budget series - with 10 episodes reportedly costing about $100 million to make - to earn back the money.