UK's National Union Of Journalists Condemns China's Ban On BBC World News

LONDON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th February, 2021) The National Union of Journalist (NUJ) from the United Kingdom and Ireland condemned on Friday the Chinese authorities' decision to ban BBC World News from broadcasting in China, calling the prohibition a "serious infringement of global media freedom" and an act of retaliation for UK revoking the broadcast license to China Global Television Network earlier this month.

"We denounce the decision by the Chinese authorities to revoke the BBC World News licence in China, it is a serious infringement of global media freedom. The NUJ is calling for the international community to join with us in condemning this move and offering support to the BBC," the NUJ general secretary, Michelle Stanistreet, is quoted as saying in a press release sent to Sputnik.

On Thursday, the Chinese National Radio and Television Administration announced that it will ban the broadcast of BBC World News for at least one year over persistent violations of China's regulations on foreign media and biased coverage of news.

"The move is clearly intended as retaliation and its impact is to further restrict access to accurate and reliable information," Stanistreet added.

Following the announcement by the Chinese regulator, the BBC said it was "disappointed" that the Chinese authorities have decided to take this course of action, claiming to be "the world's most trusted international news broadcaster and reports on stories from around the world fairly, impartially and without fear or favour."

UK Foreign Minister Dominic Raab has also condemned China's decision to ban the airing of the UK-based BBC World News broadcaster, tweeting on Thursday that it was "an unacceptable curtailing of media freedom."

One week ago, the UK regulators had revoked the license of China's state-owned CGTN broadcaster, claiming that the company that holds the license to broadcast in UK does not have day-to-day editorial control over the news network and that it was ultimately controlled by the Chinese Communist Party.