Short video apps start to squeeze out livestreaming firms

Small and medium-sized livestreaming platforms in China are finding it tough going, as the fast-growing industry is entering a mature period of steady growth.

Bohe Live, the livestreaming arm of leading Chinese gaming outfit NetEase Inc, recently announced it will shut down in December, following a difficult year for many smaller livestreaming firms that have struggled to survive on the crowded battlefield.

The golden days may be gone for fledgling livestreaming channels, as the Chinese authorities have stepped up regulation of such services this year.