CGTN resumes broadcasting in the UK

[Rob]

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-08-20/CG...index.html

A spokesperson for CGTN said on Friday that the station has now resumed broadcasting in the United Kingdom. CGTN is carried 24 hours a day on the digital TV platform Freeview.

The spokesperson said the resumption of CGTN broadcasting is in the British public interest and will enable exchanges of information, culture, mutual trust and cooperation between the Chinese and British peoples. CGTN said it appreciates the cooperative attitude of the British institutions involved and is willing to make further efforts to promote understanding between China and the UK and hopes more British viewers can enjoy CGTN's news service.

[Roger Darthwell]

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-08-20/CG...index.html

A spokesperson for CGTN said on Friday that the station has now resumed broadcasting in the United Kingdom. CGTN is carried 24 hours a day on the digital TV platform Freeview.

The spokesperson said the resumption of CGTN broadcasting is in the British public interest and will enable exchanges of information, culture, mutual trust and cooperation between the Chinese and British peoples. CGTN said it appreciates the cooperative attitude of the British institutions involved and is willing to make further efforts to promote understanding between China and the UK and hopes more British viewers can enjoy CGTN's news service.

Is this the first time that happened? I mean that a channel that had it's licence revoked by Ofcom, returned to broadcasting?

[Emily Moore]

This doesn't seem to be right - this page listing a "scan" of Freeview channels makes no mention of CGTN. If they're on Freeview, this site isn't picking it up.

[Rob]

This doesn't seem to be right - this page listing a "scan" of Freeview channels makes no mention of CGTN. If they're on Freeview, this site isn't picking it up.

Ah... it appears it's part of the "Vision TV" package, according to RXTV Info...

https://rxtvinfo.com/2021/cgtn-announces...-to-the-uk

[whoiam989]

Typical [REDACTED] from Chinese state media, I guess. Looks like there should be small quotation marks around 'resumes', then.

[Emily Moore]

Typical [REDACTED] from Chinese state media, I guess. Looks like there should be small quotation marks around 'resumes', then.

It's just a continuation of the online stream that has been available in the UK throughout. I presume CGTN is still available to determined satellite viewers via free-to-air satellite (as opposed to the Sky or Freesat EPG), too.

It didn't stop the South China Morning Post, out of Hong Kong, running a lengthy piece about how the "resumption" of CGTN's broadcast in the UK marks a turning point in UK-Chinese relations: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomac...2-olympics

The BBC remains off the air in China.

[AndrewP]

The BBC remains off the air in China

How easy is it to tune into the BBC via short wave in China? I haven't heard of Chinese jamming in a very long time...

[Emily Moore]

The BBC remains off the air in China

How easy is it to tune into the BBC via short wave in China? I haven't heard of Chinese jamming in a very long time...

Jamming is still widespread. If you tune to frequencies used by the Chinese-language services of the BBC, Voice of America, Radio Free Asia or various Taiwanese broadcasters among others, you'll hear either a loop of cacophonous Chinese music called the Firedrake, or a relay of the state broadcaster's main CNR1 service. These jamming signals can be heard as far away as the UK. They tend not to use the noise jamming of old - North Korea still do use that.

The BBC in English and other languages can be tuned to easily on shortwave inside China - it's the Chinese language services that fall foul of the Chinese censors and jammers.

[James2001]

The firedrake pops up all over the short wave bands!

Looks like Ofcom's fined them £200,000:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/celkpjz7dz1o

[Emily Moore]

The firedrake pops up all over the short wave bands!

Looks like Ofcom's fined them £200,000:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/celkpjz7dz1o

What's that BBC News site? Grey background and a non-standard URL under /news/articles. It looks half-finished.