China Global Television Network (CGTN) hereby expresses its disappointment in and strong opposition to Ofcom’s final ruling on the revocation of CGTN’s broadcasting license in the UK and Ofcom’s refusal to accept the application to transfer the license.
CGTN (formerly known as CCTV News) is an international media organization with an excellent reputation worldwide for professionalism. Since its launch in 2000, CGTN has covered news around the world in accordance with its principles of objectivity, rationality and balance, and has won numerous international awards, including an Emmy. Committed to promoting communication and understanding between the Chinese and British peoples, CGTN has aired in the UK for 18 years and maintained strong, long-term relationships with various media outlets and organizations in the country. CGTN has interviewed leading British politicians including Tony Blair, David Cameron, Theresa May and Boris Johnson, and on October 31, 2020, aired an interview with the newly-appointed British ambassador to China, Caroline Wilson. CGTN has had a positive impact in helping its international audience, including viewers in the UK, better understand China and the world in a diversified and multi-perspective manner.
In early 2020, manipulated by extreme right-wing organizations and anti-China forces, Ofcom launched an investigation into CGTN’s broadcasting license in the UK. We provided detailed explanations to Ofcom in a proactive and cooperative manner, proposed transferring CGTN’s broadcasting license and sought a constructive solution. However, Ofcom disregarded CGTN’s reputation as a professional international media organization and its 18-year good record of broadcasting in the UK, and made a final ruling, based on the so-called political nature of CGTN and related Chinese media organizations, to refuse the transfer and to revoke CGTN’s broadcasting license.
We believe that the continued broadcasting of CGTN’s television news service to a British audience is in the public interest of the UK. We comply with the laws and regulations of every country and provide news and information to an international audience with diverse and balanced perspectives, and will continue to promote understanding, communication, trust and cooperation.
