Alphabet’s Massive AI Spending Surge Signals Confidence in Google’s Growth Engine 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
Washington Post Publisher Will Lewis Steps Down After Layoffs 
SoftBank Shares Slide After Arm Earnings Miss Fuels Tech Stock Sell-Off 
Asian Markets Surge as Japan Election, Fed Rate Cut Bets, and Tech Rally Lift Global Sentiment 
Trump’s Inflation Claims Clash With Voters’ Cost-of-Living Reality 
UK Starting Salaries See Strongest Growth in 18 Months as Hiring Sentiment Improves 
India–U.S. Interim Trade Pact Cuts Auto Tariffs but Leaves Tesla Out 
Nikkei 225 Hits Record High Above 56,000 After Japan Election Boosts Market Confidence 
Indian Refiners Scale Back Russian Oil Imports as U.S.-India Trade Deal Advances 
SpaceX Pushes for Early Stock Index Inclusion Ahead of Potential Record-Breaking IPO 
Missouri Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging Starbucks’ Diversity and Inclusion Policies 
Yen Slides as Japan Election Boosts Fiscal Stimulus Expectations 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
Trump Signs Executive Order Threatening 25% Tariffs on Countries Trading With Iran 
CK Hutchison Launches Arbitration After Panama Court Revokes Canal Port Licences 
Global PC Makers Eye Chinese Memory Chip Suppliers Amid Ongoing Supply Crunch 
CTGN or the China Global Television Network, the Chinese state-owned broadcaster, has been pulled out from UK’s TV programming. The regulators in the United Kingdom revoked its license to air on Feb. 4.
Reason for the cancellation of the channel’s permit
China’s CTGN news channel just lost its permit to broadcast in the UK. The decision was handed down after the country’s media regulator concluded that the Chinese channel was primarily controlled by the Communist Party of China.
Ofcom, the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications, and postal industries of the U.K., immediately canceled CTGN’s license after the results of its investigation came out.
The probe revealed the CTGN’s license was issued by the agency to Star China Media Limited (SCML). However, Ofcom determined that SCML has no control over the editorial output on the news channel.
In the UK, the broadcasting laws state that broadcast licensees must have full control over the licensed channel or service, including the editorial oversight on the programs they air.
Also, the law states that license holders should not and cannot be controlled by any political group or organization. Since CTGN and SCML’s arrangement goes against the UK broadcasting laws, the permit has been revoked.
"Our investigation concluded that Star China Media Limited, the license-holder for the CGTN service, did not have editorial responsibility for CGTN’s output.,” part of Ofcom’s official statement reads.” As such, SCML does not meet the legal requirement of having control over the licensed service, so it is not a lawful broadcast licensee."
It was revealed that the license could not be transferred from SCML to CTGN anymore. This is due to the fact that a number of important information are missing in the application for transfer. Also, the UK already considered CGTN as disqualified from holding a license because it is actually being controlled by the Chinese Communist Party.
CTGN was given a chance to fix the issues
CNN Business reported that Ofcom has given CTGN ample time to fix the problem and complete the requirements. But the broadcaster did not follow through.
"We've provided CGTN with numerous opportunities to come into compliance, but it has not done so, Ofcom’s spokesperson said. “We now consider it appropriate to withdraw the license for CGTN to broadcast in the UK."
CTGN will now be pulled out from UK’s broadcasting platform. Then again, Ofcom said that the Chinese broadcaster can still request a judicial review so they can apply for a new license in the future.
