UK Revokes China Global TV Network's broadcast licence - Ofcom

Ofcom - the United Kingdom's regulator for broadcast, the postal service, broadband, telephone and other users of the airwaves - has revoked China Global TV's licence in the UK.  China's global English language channel, CGTN is owned by CCTV [China Central Television] which, according to Ofcom, makes it a tool of the Chinese Communist Party, lacking editorial independence, and therefore ineligible for a broadcast licence.

This measure is likely to produce retaliation by China.

Ofcom revokes CGTN's licence to broadcast in the UK - Ofcom

Having considered the available evidence, we have decided we are unable to grant the application to transfer the licence from SCML to CGTNC.

Correspondence from CGTN submitted during the course of our investigation makes clear that CGTNC is controlled by CCTV, which is also the sole shareholder of CGTNC.

Given CGTNC is controlled by CCTV – which, as part of the China Media Group, is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party and therefore disqualified from holding a broadcast licence under UK broadcasting laws – we consider that CGTNC would be disqualified from holding a licence.