LONDON (AP) – British regulators on Thursday withdrew the Chinese state television channel from its national broadcasting license, after an investigation cited lack of editorial control and links with China’s ruling communist party.
The communications watchdog, Ofcom, said it was revoking the British license for China Global Television Network or CGTN, an international English-language satellite news channel.
CGTN had been available on pay TV and for free in the UK. He did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Regulators began examining the station after receiving a complaint from a human rights group, Safeguard Defenders, calling for an investigation into its ownership.
Ofcom also continues to investigate a number of other complaints that violated fairness and accuracy standards. One was from a former employee of the British consulate in Hong Kong, who said he was arrested and tortured by Chinese police for information about the protesters. Another was by a British corporate researcher who said he was forced to confess while imprisoned in China. CGTN did not respond to requests for comment on these claims at the time and Ofcom said its resolutions are still pending.
The decision adds to the ties between Britain and China, already forced by UK efforts to tackle alleged human rights abuses against the Uighur minority in Xinjiang and expand residence rights for Hong Kongers.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry responded with renewed criticism of British Broadcasting Corp., specifically a January 29 report on COVID-19 in China, calling it “typical fake news” and demanding public apologies. He said “China reserves the right to take further action.” He He told the BBC he stood by his reports and rejected the “unfounded accusations.”
The British watchdog said it found that the station’s licensing entity, Star China Media Limited, had no editorial responsibility for CGTN’s production, which is a license requirement. Star China was only the distributor of the channel and none of the employees involved in day-to-day operations or decision-making were its employees.
An application to transfer the license to China Global Television Network Corporation as part of a planned restructuring was rejected because it lacked “crucial information,” Ofcom said. But it also failed “because we believe that CGTNC would be disqualified from having a license, as it is controlled by an agency that is ultimately controlled by the Chinese Communist Party,” he said.
The vigilante said he gave CGTN “significant time” to comply, but those efforts “have been exhausted.”
“After careful consideration, taking into account all the facts and rights of the broadcaster and the hearing to freedom of expression, we have decided that it is appropriate to revoke the license for CGTN to broadcast in the UK,” said Ofcom.
In a separate case, Ofcom said it hopes to soon decide sanctions for CGTN for breaching the rules of impartiality in covering Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests.
The loss of the British broadcasting license is a major setback for CGTN, which has been a key element of the Chinese government’s push to expand its soft power and burn its image abroad. The canal had established a European operations center in west London and had hired journalists to attend to it.
CGTN can appeal against the decision by requesting a judicial review. He could also try to regain the license by re-submitting his application with proof that he is editorially independent, Ofcom said.
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