Chiswick Based Chinese Broadcaster Loses Licence
Ofcom rules that ultimate editorial control was with Communist Party
Regulator Ofcom has withdrawn the licence for China Global Television Network (CGTN) to broadcast in the UK.
The Chinese company has its European Headquarters in Chiswick Business Park and is an international English-language satellite news channel.
Ofcom ruled that the licence is wrongfully held by Star China Media Limited (SCML) and that effective control was with the Chinese state therefore SCML does not meet the legal requirement of having control over the licensed service. An investigation found that it was just the distributor of content and employed none of the staff involved in editorial decision making.
In addition, they have been unable to grant an application to transfer the licence to an entity called China Global Television Network Corporation (CGTNC) because of missing information in the application. They conclude that CGTNC would be disqualified from holding a licence, as it is controlled by a body which is ultimately controlled by the Chinese Communist Party.
Ofcom said in a statement, “We have given CGTN significant time to come into compliance with the statutory rules. Those efforts have now been exhausted.
“Following careful consideration, taking account of all the facts and the broadcaster’s and audience’s rights to freedom of expression, we have decided it is appropriate to revoke the licence for CGTN to broadcast in the UK.
“We expect to conclude separate sanctions proceedings against CGTN for due impartiality and fairness and privacy breaches shortly.
Ofcom says that CGTN has repeatedly failed to respond to questions necessary to its assessment of its application to transfer the licence, or to offer any update on progress with its restructure.
In 2020 Ofcom found CGTN in breach of the Ofcom Broadcasting Code for failing to preserve due impartiality in its coverage of the Hong Kong protests, and also found a serious breach of fairness and privacy rules. Due to the seriousness of these breaches, Ofcom told CGTN that it would consider imposing sanctions.
Police face protestors in Hong Kong. Picture: Studio Incendo
This decision does not affect these sanctions proceedings against CGTN, and Ofcom expects to reach its decisions shortly.
There are three other fairness and privacy investigations about content on the CGTN service which also remain ongoing, pending further consideration.
Ofcom previously received a complaint that the Beijing-controlled group aired forced confessions. An investigation was opened in May of last year after Peter Humphrey a British citizen claimed CGTN had aired a confession that he had made under duress.
Mr Humphrey had been working as an investigator on behalf of Glaxo Smith Kline in 2013 as part of an internal inquiry into claims of corruption at the company's operations in China. He was detained by the authorities along with his wife and accused of illegally obtaining the personal information of a Chinese individual. His detention lasted nearly two years.
This was not the first complaint against the broadcaster investigated by Ofcom. Lam Wing Kee, a bookseller from Hong Kong, and Peter Dahlin, a Swedish human rights activist, have both lodged complaints.
UK-based Angela Gui has also accused CGTN of broadcasting several public “confessions” made by her father, Gui Minhai.
CGTN are not responding to requests for comment.
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February 5, 2021
