Beijing has banned broadcast media, including cable-television networks, TV and radio stations, and advertising companies, from seeking public listings, according to Xinhua news agency, citing State Council documents.
The announcement comes after many mainland cable TV firms and television stations, including China Central Television, have reportedly considered listings at home and abroad.
Analysts said the announcement was partly aimed at blocking foreign investment in the mainland's mass media, which is tightly controlled.
In a related development, cable TV stations have also been barred from offering telecommunications services, including Internet-related services, the mainland-backed newspaper Wen Wei Po quoted officials as saying.
They said construction of new optical fibre networks, used to transmit data and pictures, was also banned.
Those rules are expected to deal a hard blow to foreign and mainland companies, including China Everbright Group, which have invested heavily in cable TV stations with an aim to offer high-speed access to the Internet and to Internet protocol phone services.
