China's state broadcaster applies to France for right to air in Europe: Report

Earlier this month, China barred Britain's BBC World News from its television networks.

Chinese state media outlet China Global Television Network (CGTN) has turned to French authorities in a bid to regain its right to broadcast in Europe, Britain's Financial Times newspaper reported on Sunday.

Cars travel past the CCTV headquarters, the home of Chinese state media outlet CCTV and its English-language sister channel CGTN, in Beijing. (REUTERS)

CGTN approached French media regulator CSA in December, according to the FT report, citing confirmation from the regulator. But CSA declined to say when it would be able to establish whether CGTN transmits to satellite from a ground station in France and therefore falls under the country's jurisdiction, the FT report added.

Earlier this month, China barred Britain's BBC World News from its television networks and Hong Kong's public broadcaster said it would stop relaying BBC World Service radio, after Britain revoked CGTN's broadcast licence.

The FT said Britain had been CGTN's European broadcasting hub.