CGTN: UK regulators cancel Chinese news channel’s broadcasting license

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 Since CTGN and SCML’s arrangement goes against the UK broadcasting laws, the permit has been revoked.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.