What national policies can online anchors enjoy when they become regular anchors?
2024-08-08
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Text/Chen Haoxing
The online anchor has been “promoted to a regular position”!
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the State Administration for Market Regulation, the National Bureau of Statistics and other organizations recently jointly issued a notice announcing 19 new occupations, including bioengineering technicians. Among them, online anchors are also among them, officially becoming a new occupation recognized by the state.
What impact will this change have on anchors? What national policies will they be able to enjoy in the future?
The number of professional anchors in my country has reached tens of millions
Although online anchors have just been officially recognized as a new profession, the number of related practitioners in our country has already reached tens of millions.
The "China Internet Audio-Visual Development Research Report (2024)" shows that as of December 2023, the total number of short video accounts on the entire network will reach 1.55 billion, and the number of professional anchors will reach 15.08 million.
Judging from the latest definition of the profession, online anchors are not limited to the job of professional anchors. In the newly added occupation annex published on the official website of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the definition of online anchors is: a person who provides online performances and audio-visual information services through live broadcasts, real-time communication and interaction, and uploading audio and video programs based on the Internet.
According to the newly released occupational information, the main tasks of network anchors are six:
——Conduct online performance and audio-visual demand analysis, and assist in determining the content of live broadcast or shooting scripts;
——Write online performances, audio-visual content broadcasts or live broadcast scripts, and prepare them;
——Design the appearance, voice, and makeup image based on the program positioning, live broadcast theme, and personal characteristics of the anchor;
- Produce and disseminate content that conforms to the core socialist values, control the production process of online performances, interactive communications, and audio-visual programs, and guide the direction and content of topics;
——Organize and implement online interactive activities in an orderly manner, manage interactive content such as live broadcasts, bullet screens, and comments, and handle unexpected user interactions during synchronous or asynchronous communication;
——Participate in data statistics, analysis and optimization in the dissemination of online performances, audio-visual content, etc.
Lu Tailai, the manager of Local Life MCN, said in an interview with China News Service that most people only pay attention to the glamorous online anchors in front of the camera, but often ignore the staff who provide support to the online anchors behind the scenes. These staff members include content planning, video editing, technical support, operation management and other positions. Most of them even have compound work capabilities and together with the online anchors, they form a complete online anchor ecosystem.
Huge income gap and scarcity of high-quality talents
At present, online anchors have formed a huge market and have had an impact on cultural communication, consumption guidance and other aspects, and some top anchors have considerable incomes.
However, high-income anchors are still rare. The "China Online Performance (Live Broadcasting and Short Video) Industry Development Report (2022-2023)" jointly compiled by the China Performing Arts Industry Association and others shows that among anchors whose main source of income is live broadcasting, 95.2% have a monthly income of less than 5,000 yuan, and only 0.4% have a monthly income of more than 100,000 yuan.
Lu Tailai introduced that currently, the income of small and medium-sized anchors is usually between 10,000 and 20,000 yuan, and the income structure includes fixed salary and commissions and bonuses based on sales performance. However, this income model is not stable, because the high return rate of goods will directly affect the actual amount of commissions and bonuses. This means that even if the anchor performs well in sales, his final income may still fluctuate due to the return problem.
"The job of an anchor seems glamorous, but it is actually full of challenges and hard work." Lu Tailai said that a qualified anchor must maintain highly concentrated energy and passion during a 4 to 6-hour live broadcast, which places very high demands on personal endurance and professionalism.
Lu Tailai believes that although there are more than 15 million professional anchors, the industry still lacks anchors who can maintain high-quality live broadcasts. A successful anchor not only needs to have fluent expression skills and the ability to create an active atmosphere, but also must have the ability to conduct in-depth product research and formulate precise live broadcast strategies. These preparations directly affect the audience's participation and purchasing decisions, thus determining the overall effect and commercial value of the live broadcast.
In addition, in the live broadcast industry, the income of sales staff is actually comparable to that of anchors, and in some cases even more competitive. Sales staff are not only responsible for business negotiations, but also involved in product optimization, market research and brand cooperation. Their income is directly linked to the value of the work they create, and they also play a pivotal role in the entire online anchor ecosystem.
The anchor's career security and income planning will be improved
my country has announced a series of new occupations in batches since 2019. Practitioners of new occupations enjoy the same national policies in terms of career development, skill training, and professional certification as all other occupations. Relevant parties have also organized the construction of relevant platforms to create learning opportunities for practitioners of new occupations.
The recognition of the professional identity of internet anchors will not only improve their career security and income norms, but also enhance society's recognition of internet anchors, reduce prejudice, and enhance professional pride.
Luo Xueming, chief expert of Guangdong Modern Urban Industrial Technology Research Institute, believes that identifying online anchors as a new profession not only provides practitioners with rights protection and career guidance under the legal framework, but also includes them in the formal occupational classification. This measure enables online anchors to enjoy more welfare protection such as social insurance and provident fund, thereby improving their career stability and quality of life.
Yiming, a local MCN anchor, said that the e-commerce industry itself is a hot field, and the income level is higher than many of his peers, but some friends still have doubts and concerns about this profession, thinking that it is "not a serious job." "This time, the online anchor has been officially recognized as a profession by the state, which makes me proud of my identity as an online anchor, and also makes me full of confidence and expectations for my future career development."
Yiming shared some of his work experience in the interview: Newcomers need to clarify their own tracks, such as clothing, beauty, food or local e-commerce, because different fields have their own characteristics and needs. The most important thing is to overcome the fear of the camera and have basic explanations and category logic. With these abilities and down-to-earth, you can lay a solid foundation for becoming a successful anchor.
Chen Jianwei, a professor at the National Institute of International Strategy at the University of International Business and Economics, predicts that the live broadcast industry will develop in a more professional and diversified direction in the future. The official recognition by the state will not only enhance the legitimacy and attractiveness of the industry, but will also attract more talents to join this field. With the establishment of professional standards, the industry will gradually become standardized and promote the professional development of practitioners. Ultimately, this will drive the continued growth of the live broadcast industry and bring more economic contributions.
(Source: National Express)
