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A war over media erupted between the U.K. and China on Thursday, with Beijing threatening to take unspecified action against the BBC after its state-run broadcaster CGTN had its license revoked in Britain.
The events mark a dramatic escalation in what was already a tense relationship over both 5G telecommunications technology and human rights abuses in Hong Kong and the Muslim majority region of Xinjiang.
British media watchdog Ofcom was the first to strike on Thursday, saying that it had taken the decision to withdraw CGTN’s license “over the broadcaster’s and audience’s rights to freedom of expression.”
The British decision was based on British broadcasting laws that license holders must have control over their service, including editorial oversight over programs. In addition, license holders cannot be controlled by political bodies. CGTN had earlier been accused of broadcasting one-sided coverage of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong protests and forced televised confessions in “show trials” involving foreigners.
Beijing responded almost immediately by demanding an apology from the British broadcaster, accusing it of running “fake news” in covering the coronavirus pandemic, as well as “ideologically biased” reporting about Xinjiang.
“China urges the BBC and its Beijing bureau to … take concrete measures to eliminate the negative impact of its reporting, and offer a public apology to China on its China-related fake news,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. “China reserves the right to take further measures,” the statement added.
As it is unlikely for the BBC to apologize over its China reporting, a BBC insider feared this was merely an excuse for the Chinese government to pile pressure on journalists in the country.
The BBC’s series of reporting about Xinjiang internment camps, forced labor and, most recently, systematic rape of Muslim women have infuriated Beijing authorities, but they have so far refrained from kicking correspondents out of the country — a course China took with a couple of Australian journalists amid rising tensions between Beijing and Canberra last year.
Peter Dahlin, a Swedish activist who lodged multiple complaints about CGTN with Ofcom, said it was “common sense and a well-known fact,” that CGTN was ultimately steered by the Communist party.
Julian Knight, who chairs the digital, culture, media and sport committee in the British parliament, said: “Today’s ruling is confirmation that the Chinese Communist Party is the ultimate controller of its broadcasts which is not permitted under U.K. law.
“It should be seen as a strong warning that the power to broadcast carries with it responsibility and accountability. Failing this bar will not be tolerated,” Knight added.
Dahlin argued it was time for continental Europe to revisit policies about state-run media like CGTN.
“It will hopefully serve as a wake-up call across Europe to what is being spread on our airwaves, and highlight the fact that most European countries have no regulatory framework for dealing with it,” said Dahlin, of Safeguard Defenders, a human rights advocacy group. “This can help us better deal with an urgent need to battle disinformation campaigns across Europe by the Chinese Communist Party.”
CGTN did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Anna Isaac contributed reporting.
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