UK's Ofcom revokes licence of Chinese state broadcaster
By Caoimhe Toman
Date: Thursday 04 Feb 2021
(Sharecast News) - UK regulator Ofcom revoked the licence of Chinese broadcaster CGTN after it concluded that the network was ultimately controlled by the Chinese Communist party.
UK broadcasting laws require the body that holds the broadcast licence to have control over the content that is broadcast and according to Ofcom's investigation, Star China Media Limited does not actually have editorial responsibility for the content aired on CGTN.
CGTN made a final attempt to transfer the licence to another organisation but it was also rejected by Ofcom on grounds of lack of "crucial information from the application", and because the company "is controlled by a body which is ultimately controlled by the Chinese Communist party".
"Our investigation showed that the licence for China Global Television Network is held by an entity which has no editorial control over its programmes," an Ofcom spokesperson said.
"We've provided CGTN with numerous opportunities to come into compliance, but it has not done so. We now consider it appropriate to withdraw the licence for CGTN to broadcast in the UK."
CGTN responded by saying: "CGTNC's current shareholder is CCTV, a Chinese state television broadcaster since its establishment in 1958, with a similar status to that of the BBC, France Televisions Group, NHK (Japan), KBS (Korea) and others."
"From the perspective of 'de facto control', the global editorial board exercises independent editorial control over the CGTN service," CGNTC added.
"The board of directors, with significant media and management experience, is in fact in charge of the operation of the CGTN service."
CGTN is also being investigated by Ofcom for other violations such as breaches of the regulator's rules regarding fairness and data privacy.
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