Live broadcasting of CCTV programmes will be banned in Taiwan in retaliation for Beijing's refusal to allow reciprocal television rights to the island's broadcasters.
The ban, which takes effect on Thursday, involves the 41 island cable TV operators carrying China Central Television's channel four signals. The operators will be fined between NT$40,000 and NT$200,000 (HK$8,900 and HK$44,800) every time they break the ban.
CCTV-4 has been transmitted to Taiwan for 10 years through its distribution agents, Era Communications and Eastern Television.
Last year, the Taiwan broadcasting authority cut CCTV-4's daily air time from 24 hours to eight.
The head of the cable TV section of Taiwan's Department of Radio and Television Affairs, Ching Stone, said the ban was due to a lack of fair and equal treatment by mainland authorities.
Four Taiwanese channels - Eastern TV, Era Communications, Set TV and USTV - applied to the mainland's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television for broadcast rights last year, but failed to win approval. A Set TV spokesman said last September's application was the second time his company had applied for a licence. 'They refused us each time without explanation,' he said.