5 ms·

China bans BBC World News from broadcasting

59 points by samdung 6y ago

clouddrover 6y ago
It's payback after the UK's Office of Communications revoked China Global Television Network's broadcast licence for not following the UK broadcast rules: https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55931548 https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55931548
- bzb6 6y ago
  It doesn’t seem like the BBC follows that rule either when emitting in China I guess?
- mytailorisrich 6y ago
  Both the UK's move and, obviously, the Chinese response are political.
  - billyruffian 6y ago
    The UK regulator's (Ofcom) move was because GCTN wasn't apolitical. There was a similar run-in with Russia Today[1]. When it comes to news channels, Ofcom's job is to prevent the Foxification of news. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RT_UK https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RT_UK
    - mytailorisrich 6y ago
      You're ignoring the point. The UK's move is political (the same applies to RT). Obviously they are not going to say it and only state that Ofcom is following the rules. The Chinese have replied in kind, tit-for-tat is pretty standard procedure. The BBC has an "editorial line" as well. Obviously it's more subtle and they are mostly neutral enough most of the time but let's not be naive. It's good to have multiple sources and not to trust the BBC blindly. If all we have is the BBC then we never hear the Chinese side of things fully, for example.
      - clouddrover 6y ago
        > The UK's move is political It's the same regulations for everyone. There's no mystery to it. > Obviously they are not going to say it and only state that Ofcom is following the rules Can you show that Ofcom hasn't followed the rules?
        mytailorisrich 6y ago
        > It's the same regulations for everyone. There's no mystery to it. That's either naive or disingenuous. CCTV News / CGTN has had a licence for years. Suddenly Ofcom finds that it is in the name of the wrong company and that they cannot transfer it to the correct company because that company ultimately reports to the Chinese Communist Party. Anyone can make their own conclusions but to me it seems quite obvious that there has been a conscious decision to act against CGTN now. I'm not saying it's right or wrong but, again, let's not be naive about things.
        clouddrover 6y ago
        So you can't show that Ofcom has acted improperly. > Suddenly Ofcom finds It wasn't sudden at all. CGTN was given plenty of opportunity to maintain its licence. CGTN chose not to.
        mytailorisrich 6y ago
        Who ever suggested that they acted improperly? After years they have decided to very zealously apply the rules and I'm sure that this has nothing to do with the current political climate between the UK and China since Ofcom is independent... There. Too bad that no discussion is apparently possible on these issues and the reality of politics.
        clouddrover 6y ago
        You did. But, of course, you're unwilling to admit that you're making baseless claims.
  - nojokes 6y ago
    Brits followed their rules, Chinese just made it up on the spot. That is an important difference here.
woutr_be 6y ago
BBC World News was not really available in China anyway, it was available in certain hotels, but even then it was highly censored. It’s not unusual to have the screen go black suddenly because some “sensitive topics” started airing.
sradman 6y ago
> It follows British media regulator Ofcom revoking state broadcaster China Global Television Network's (CGTN) licence to broadcast in the UK. > The commercially-funded BBC World News TV channel broadcasts globally in English. In China it is largely restricted and appears only in international hotels and some diplomatic compounds, meaning most Chinese people cannot view it.
ejanus 6y ago
Good for them...They spend their energy on substandard news and thrashing those who do not share their news.
ksec 6y ago
And now BBC stands for "Banned By China".

59 points by samdung 6y ago

It's payback after the UK's Office of Communications revoked China Global Television Network's broadcast licence for not following the UK broadcast rules: https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55931548 https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55931548

bzb6 6y ago
It doesn’t seem like the BBC follows that rule either when emitting in China I guess?
mytailorisrich 6y ago
Both the UK's move and, obviously, the Chinese response are political.
- billyruffian 6y ago
  The UK regulator's (Ofcom) move was because GCTN wasn't apolitical. There was a similar run-in with Russia Today[1]. When it comes to news channels, Ofcom's job is to prevent the Foxification of news. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RT_UK https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RT_UK
  - mytailorisrich 6y ago
    You're ignoring the point. The UK's move is political (the same applies to RT). Obviously they are not going to say it and only state that Ofcom is following the rules. The Chinese have replied in kind, tit-for-tat is pretty standard procedure. The BBC has an "editorial line" as well. Obviously it's more subtle and they are mostly neutral enough most of the time but let's not be naive. It's good to have multiple sources and not to trust the BBC blindly. If all we have is the BBC then we never hear the Chinese side of things fully, for example.
    - clouddrover 6y ago
      > The UK's move is political It's the same regulations for everyone. There's no mystery to it. > Obviously they are not going to say it and only state that Ofcom is following the rules Can you show that Ofcom hasn't followed the rules?
      - mytailorisrich 6y ago
        > It's the same regulations for everyone. There's no mystery to it. That's either naive or disingenuous. CCTV News / CGTN has had a licence for years. Suddenly Ofcom finds that it is in the name of the wrong company and that they cannot transfer it to the correct company because that company ultimately reports to the Chinese Communist Party. Anyone can make their own conclusions but to me it seems quite obvious that there has been a conscious decision to act against CGTN now. I'm not saying it's right or wrong but, again, let's not be naive about things.
        clouddrover 6y ago
        So you can't show that Ofcom has acted improperly. > Suddenly Ofcom finds It wasn't sudden at all. CGTN was given plenty of opportunity to maintain its licence. CGTN chose not to.
        mytailorisrich 6y ago
        Who ever suggested that they acted improperly? After years they have decided to very zealously apply the rules and I'm sure that this has nothing to do with the current political climate between the UK and China since Ofcom is independent... There. Too bad that no discussion is apparently possible on these issues and the reality of politics.
        clouddrover 6y ago
        You did. But, of course, you're unwilling to admit that you're making baseless claims.
- nojokes 6y ago
  Brits followed their rules, Chinese just made it up on the spot. That is an important difference here.

woutr_be 6y ago

BBC World News was not really available in China anyway, it was available in certain hotels, but even then it was highly censored. It’s not unusual to have the screen go black suddenly because some “sensitive topics” started airing.

sradman 6y ago

> It follows British media regulator Ofcom revoking state broadcaster China Global Television Network's (CGTN) licence to broadcast in the UK. > The commercially-funded BBC World News TV channel broadcasts globally in English. In China it is largely restricted and appears only in international hotels and some diplomatic compounds, meaning most Chinese people cannot view it.

ejanus 6y ago

Good for them...They spend their energy on substandard news and thrashing those who do not share their news.

ksec 6y ago

And now BBC stands for "Banned By China".