CGTN (TV channel)

CGTN
	File:CGTN logo.svg CGTN logo
Company type	State media
Industry	Broadcasting, news media
Predecessor	CCTV-9, CCTV News
Founded	September 25, 2000; 26 years ago (as CCTV-9)
Headquarters	Beijing, China
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Ma Jing (former director general)
Products	English-language news programming
Owner	China Global Television Network Corporation (state-owned)
Number of employees	Approximately 70 bureaus globally (exact number not specified)
Website	www.cgtn.com

CGTN serves as the English-language news outlet of the state-operated China Global Television Network, headquartered in Beijing, China. This channel is a component of China Global Television Network, which functions as the international branch of the Chinese state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV), overseen by the Central Propaganda Department under the Chinese Communist Party.

Originally launched as CCTV-9 on 25 September 2000, the channel was renamed CCTV News on 26 April 2010. The launch of CGTN America occurred on 6 February 2012, followed by CGTN Europe debuting on 8 October 2019 with daily content produced from Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, CGTN Africa began operations on 11 January 2012 in Nairobi, Kenya. On 31 December 2016, all CCTV International channels were unified under the CGTN brand.

CGTN manages four main studios located in Beijing (its headquarters), Nairobi, Washington, and London, and operates a network of approximately 70 bureaus across the globe.

History

The inception of CCTV’s English-language international news programming dates back to 1 January 1979, coinciding with China's economic reform era. English news segments were introduced on CCTV-2 in 1986 and expanded to international audiences when transferred to CCTV-4 in February 1991. CCTV-9 marked China's first television channel broadcasting exclusively in English when it launched on 25 September 2000.

On 1 January 2003, CCTV-9 entered the U.S. cable market through agreements that allowed companies such as AOL, Time Warner, and News Corporation access to cable systems in Guangdong. The channel initially featured English-language news and cultural programming, supplemented by overnight reruns. A significant highlight during this period was its extensive coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Prior to its rebranding on 26 April 2010, CCTV-9 offered a variety of general interest content including news, travel features, and language instruction. After this date, it was transformed into CCTV News, a dedicated 24-hour English news channel.

Relaunch

With the transition on 26 April 2010, CCTV-9 became CCTV News, introducing refreshed branding and new program lineups. The channel’s English-language website is operated by China Network Television (CNTV), which serves as CCTV’s online streaming platform. Subsequently, on 1 January 2011, the CCTV-9 designation was reassigned to one of CCTV's documentary channels.

CGTN

The channel adopted the CGTN identity on 31 December 2016.

Ofcom license revocation

On 4 February 2021, broadcast regulator Ofcom withdrew CGTN’s UK license due to concerns that although Star China Media Limited held the license, editorial control was actually exercised by China Global Television Network Corporation—an entity ultimately governed by the Chinese Communist Party. This arrangement conflicted with UK regulations under the Communications Act 2003, which prohibit such external editorial influence.

The loss of its UK license affected CGTN's ability to broadcast across much of Europe; as a result, CGTN had to halt transmissions in these regions unless it secured authorization elsewhere. In response, CGTN obtained a new broadcasting license from France’s regulatory authority CSA in March 2021. Following Ofcom’s ruling, China imposed a ban on BBC World News within mainland China, while Hong Kong’s RTHK ceased airing BBC content.

CGTN Africa

Launched in Nairobi on 11 January 2012, CGTN Africa functions as CGTN’s hub for African news production. It delivers daily broadcasts covering news, business developments, and cultural stories through programs such as Africa Live, Talk Africa, Global Business Africa, and Faces of Africa, all featured on CGTN’s English-language channel.

CGTN America

CGTN America, the branch of CGTN serving the Americas, commenced its broadcasts on 6 February 2012. Headquartered in Washington, DC, it maintains bureaus throughout North and South America and employs a mix of American and Chinese journalists to deliver content tailored to the region.

In February 2019, the U.S. Department of Justice mandated that CGTN America register under the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA). This registration required transparency regarding its financial resources and ownership details, as well as the inclusion of disclaimers identifying CGTN America as a foreign agent. Subsequently, in March 2019, director general Ma Jing along with other personnel were recalled to Beijing.

CGTN Europe

CGTN Europe specializes in European political and business news from its base at Chiswick Business Park in west London. Although initially slated for a late 2018 launch, operational setbacks delayed its broadcasting debut until October 2019.

Following Ofcom’s revocation of CGTN’s UK broadcast license, the European production hub has continued functioning by concentrating on creating content for European audiences without engaging in direct broadcasting.

Foreign news anchors

The network employs a combination of Chinese and international news presenters, ranging from seasoned professionals like Edwin Maher, former newsreader at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, to recent journalism graduates. Former comptroller Jiang Heping justified the recruitment of foreign anchors by emphasizing that international on-air talent bolsters CGTN’s credibility and supports its global branding efforts, enabling the channel to cultivate a distinctive identity through diverse programming.

Among notable foreign presenters is Mark Rowswell, known as Dashan, who hosted Travel in Chinese on CCTV News and earned recognition for his contributions to cancer awareness campaigns in China.

On 18 September 2019, British television executive Nick Pollard stepped down from his role as CGTN consultant, citing the channel's failure to adhere to Ofcom’s impartiality requirements during its coverage of the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests. Pollard had joined CGTN in December 2018.

Detention of Cheng Lei

In August 2020, Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who had been anchoring a CGTN business program since 2012, was detained by Chinese authorities. In February 2021, she was formally charged with sharing state secrets; however, details surrounding the case remain sparse. Following her detention, two Australian journalists working in China departed after being questioned on national security grounds, resulting in Australia lacking resident reporters in China for nearly five decades. CGTN has since erased all mentions of Cheng from its platforms and has not issued any statements regarding her detention.

Awards

Based in Washington, DC, CGTN America has been recognized with a News & Documentary Emmy Award for Jen Bricker: When Can't is a Four-Letter Word, alongside several accolades from the New York Festivals and awards from the White House News Photographers Association.

Bias and censorship

CGTN’s approach centers on influencing international public opinion to encourage foreign governments toward policies favorable to China’s Communist Party. Analysts note CGTN’s dual function as both a legitimate global media outlet and a domestic propaganda instrument.

Contrasting with RT’s often disorderly style, CGTN pursues a vision of global stability aligned with Beijing’s interests and operates within tightly controlled editorial boundaries. Despite significant investments in overseas studios and bureaus, its output is frequently criticized as uninspired propaganda aimed more at reinforcing Beijing’s leadership than engaging international viewers. This has contributed to growing dissatisfaction among Chinese journalists restricted by stringent editorial oversight.

While promoting party ideology abroad remains a priority, efforts to enhance China’s international reputation face obstacles. CGTN and similar state media outlets continue to be perceived as biased and struggle to attract broad audiences amid widespread internet access and skepticism toward government-run messaging.

Concerns have also been voiced about censorship concerning sensitive internal issues such as Tibet and Xinjiang. CGTN America defends its editorial standards by underscoring commitments to traditional journalistic principles like accuracy and impartiality.

In March 2021, Ofcom imposed a £225,000 fine on CGTN for biased reporting of the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests, citing multiple violations of fairness and impartiality regulations.

Complicity in Coerced Confessions and Torture

On 23 November 2018, British corporate investigator Peter Humphrey lodged a formal complaint with the UK communications authority Ofcom, asserting that he was compelled under pressure to deliver televised confessions through Chinese state media China Central Television (CCTV) and its global division China Global Television Network (CGTN). Humphrey maintained that these admissions, broadcast prior to any legal proceedings or verdicts, were scripted and orchestrated by Chinese law enforcement personnel under conditions tantamount to torture. One recorded confession from August 2013 depicted him confined in an iron chair within a steel cage, handcuffed and donned in an orange prison uniform; another from July 2014 showed similar restraints without the cage.

Ofcom initiated an inquiry and vowed to enforce regulations if violations were identified. In November 2019, CGTN broadcast footage of UK consular staff member Simon Cheng "confessing" while detained, which led to an additional complaint filed with Ofcom. On 8 March 2021, Ofcom imposed a £225,000 penalty on CGTN for grave infringements of fairness, privacy, and impartiality standards. The regulator cited unjust treatment and breaches of privacy concerning Cheng and Gui Minhai, along with failure to secure informed consent and omission of critical information that compromised the credibility of their confessions. Consideration of further penalties was ongoing.

On 4 February 2021, Ofcom revoked CGTN’s broadcasting license in the UK after determining that Star China Media held the license but did not exercise editorial control over CGTN’s content. Additional fines were subsequently issued. An open letter opposing the license revocation garnered signatures from prominent journalists, filmmakers, and activists such as Ben Chacko, John Pilger, Oliver Stone, Ken Loach, Lowkey, and Tariq Ali.

In March 2021, Australia’s Special Broadcasting Service suspended broadcasts of CGTN and CCTV news programs following complaints related to coerced confessions.

Allegations of Antisemitism

During May 2021 amid the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis, Israel’s embassy in Beijing accused CGTN of exhibiting "blatant antisemitism" after host Zheng Junfeng speculated on the origins of the Israel lobby in the United States and its connections to affluent American Jews, which Israel characterized as an antisemitic canard.

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