My Take | RTHK’s decision to axe BBC services sets a worrying precedent
- The public broadcaster’s move raises more questions about Hong Kong’s relationship with Beijing and concerns other international news sources may be restricted
The BBC’s World Service was essential listening for me when I arrived in Hong Kong from London more than 25 years ago. The radio was always on and often tuned in to the British programmes relayed by the city’s public broadcaster RTHK.
In those early days of the internet, before smartphones, social media, and multichannel pay-TV, the familiar voices of BBC broadcasters provided not only a connection with home, but a lifeline for news of global affairs. Thankfully, there is no longer a need to depend on BBC radio. BBC World Service, along with its TV news channels and other offerings are widely available online. Today, we are spoilt for choice, with a seemingly infinite variety of news sources available to be consumed and shared on social media.
Beijing’s banning of the BBC followed British regulator Ofcom’s decision to withdraw the licence of China’s state-backed broadcaster CGTN. Ofcom ruled CGTN did not comply with British regulations and referred to the influence of the Chinese Communist Party. This prompted a furious backlash from Beijing, with a ban on the BBC imposed on Friday. The National Radio and Television Administration said BBC reports on China violated regulations that news bulletins should be “truthful and fair”. The BBC has recently broadcast stories critical of Beijing on the Covid-19 pandemic and its treatment of Muslims in Xinjiang.
The British blocking of CGTN and China’s ban on the BBC restrict sources of news and information available to the public. That is a matter of regret. Consumers of news should be entitled to form their own views on the media organisations they use.
The BBC, like RTHK, prides itself on independent reporting. It can hardly be described as the voice of the British government, having frequently come under fire from the ruling Conservative party for alleged anti-government bias on issues such as Brexit. The BBC, like RTHK, faces calls for reform.