Beijing: The Chinese government’s television and radio regulator announced on Thursday that it is banning the BBC World News from broadcasting in the country, with immediate effect.
The reason behind this banning had been the BBCs reporting about China with regards to the coronavirus pandemic and the persecution of the Uighurs the ethnic Muslim minority by the Chinese authorities, the BBC reported.
The BBC said it was “disappointed” by this decision of the Chinese government.
This move by the Chinese government follows British media regulator Ofcom revoking state broadcaster China Global Television Network’s (CGTN) licence to broadcast in the UK.
Ofcom’s decision which was announced earlier this month came after it found that CGTN’s licence was wrongfully held by Star China Media Ltd.
CGTN was also found in breach of British broadcasting regulations last year, for airing the allegedly forced confession of UK citizen Peter Humphrey.
China’s State Film, TV and Radio Administration said BBC World News reports about China were found to “seriously violate” broadcast guidelines, including “the requirement that news should be truthful and fair” and not “harm China’s national interests”. Therefore it said that the BBC’s application to air for another year in the country will not be accepted.
In China, the commercially-funded BBC World News TV channel broadcasts is largely restricted and appears only in international hotels and some diplomatic compounds, meaning most Chinese people cannot view it.
