A Dispute between an MCN Company and an Online Streamer Represented by DeHeng Lawyers Was Selected for the Supreme People’s Court’s Case Library

2024-09-10

Recently, the case “Wang v. Beijing [Culture & Media Company] Labor Dispute,” which was fully won by a project team led by lawyer Chen Xingxing from DeHeng’s Zhengzhou Office, was selected for inclusion in the Supreme People’s Court’s Case Library (Number: 2024-07-1-490-004). This case provides authoritative guidance on the determination of the legal relationship between online streamers and brokerage companies.

Case Overview:

In this case, an online streamer entered into an Exclusive Brokerage Contract with a Beijing-based MCN (Multi-Channel Network) brokerage company. The contract stipulates that the MCN company provides brokerage services and manages the streamer’s accounts. As a result of these services, the streamer’s follower count gradually increased to over 2 million, eventually reaching more than 6 million. Under the recommendation of the MCN company, the streamer participated in various activities, including advertising production and release, as well as brand variety shows, significantly enhancing their fame. However, a dispute arose between the parties regarding the performance of the contract.

DeHeng lawyers were fully engaged by the Beijing-based MCN company to resolve the dispute. The case centered on two key issues: first, the nature of the legal relationship between the online streamer and the brokerage company; and second, the legal liabilities of the breaching party in the event of a violation of the Exclusive Brokerage Contract. Consequently, two separate legal cases emerged: a labor dispute and a contractual dispute between the MCN company and the streamer.

So far DeHeng lawyers have achieved comprehensive victories in both cases on behalf of the Beijing-based MCN company, ultimately securing over one million yuan in breach of contract damages for their client.