Chinese regulators banned BBC World News on Thursday, saying the global network “seriously violated” the country’s broadcasting rules.
The National Radio and Television Administration cited “the requirement that the news be true and fair” and not “harm China’s national interests”.
The channel, therefore, does not meet the requirements for foreign broadcast channels in China and its application to go on air for another year will not be accepted, he added.
Chinese regulators withdrew BBC World
BBC World News in English is not included in most TV channel packages in China, but is available in some hotels and homes.
“We are disappointed that the Chinese authorities have decided to take this course,” the BBC said in a statement.
“The BBC is the most trusted international news broadcaster in the world and reports stories from around the world fairly, impartially and without fear or favor.”
British regulators ban Chinese state TV
China’s decision comes a week after British media regulator Ofcom revoked the UK license to the China Global Television Network (CGTN)
An investigation found that an entity dubbed Star China Media Limited improperly owned the network’s license.
Ofcom said it did not have “editorial responsibility” for the channel’s production and, therefore, “does not meet the legal requirement to have control over the licensed service”.
Star was acting as a distributor rather than a supplier of the news channel, he added.
British regulators also rejected CGTN’s proposal to transfer the license to a new entity.
They found that, in the final analysis, it would still be controlled by the Chinese Communist Party and therefore disqualified by UK law.
United Kingdom: ‘It will damage China’s reputation’
Later on Thursday, the UK government described China’s decision to ban the BBC as “unacceptable”.
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on Twitter: “China’s decision to ban BBC World News in mainland China is an unacceptable restriction on media freedom.”
“China has some of the most severe restrictions on media and internet freedom in the world, and the latter measure will only damage China’s reputation in the eyes of the world.”
jf / dj (AFP, Reuters)