China has banned the broadcasting of BBC World News.
The announcement was made by China's Television and Ready Broadcasting Regulatory Authority on Thursday (February 11).
China has criticized the BBC for reporting on the coronavirus and the persecution of ethnic minority Uighurs. For these reasons, the country is expected to stop broadcasting. The BBC said it is "disappointed" by China's decision.
The BBC was banned by China shortly after the Chinese Global Television Network (CGTN) license was revoked in the United Kingdom. OFCAM, the UK's media regulator, banned CGTN in early January.
The BBC reported that the BBC only broadcasts in international hotels and some diplomatic areas in China. This means that ordinary people in China could not watch the BBC.
In the context of the BBC's closure, China's television and radio broadcasting regulator said the BBC World News report on China should be true and fair and should not harm China's national interests. But the BBC broadcast the report in violation of broadcasting guidelines.
The BBC said in a statement: "We are disappointed with the move of the Chinese authorities. The BBC is the world's most trusted international news outlet. They collect fair, impartial and fearless news from around the world.