China bans BBC news broadcasts in apparent retaliatory move

BEIJING (AP) — China has banned BBC World News from airing in China, a week after threatening to retaliate for the revocation of the British broadcasting license for China’s state-owned CGTN.

The National Radio and Television Administration says in a statement that BBC World News coverage of China had violated requirements that news reporting be true and impartial and undermined China’s national interests and ethnic solidarity.

The BBC already is generally not viewable in China outside of some hotels, businesses and residential compounds for foreigners.

It wasn’t immediately clear if the ban would affect reception in those facilities.