The evolving ecosystem of Chinese children’s television in a regulated environment

China’s children’s television ecosystem provides an alternative understanding to prevailing assumptions about inevitable ‘home advantage’ erosion. Through analysis of state broadcasters and streaming platforms, this study examines how regulatory frameworks preserve domestic content advantages within digital transformation. Unlike contexts where global streaming platforms directly compete with domestic broadcasters, China’s system creates regulated competition where transnational content enters through domestic gatekeepers. In this regulated environment, a dual-track arrangement has emerged where state broadcasters and private streaming platforms serve complementary functions. This case demonstrates how domestic regulatory frameworks can fundamentally reshape competitive dynamics between domestic and transnational content flows.