Authorities in Beijing have been harassing New York-based television channel New Tang Dynasty TV
(NTDTV) since its launch in February 2002 as China ensures it maintains its grip on Chinese-language electronic media. NTDTV's contract with satellite operator New Skies Satellites (NSS) for Asia transmission recently ended after prolonged financial and political pressure from Beijing. NTDTV has now resumed broadcasting to China and Asia via Eutelsat's
W-5 satellite covering Asia. Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontihres) fears that Beijing will keep up the pressure, particularly against Eutelsat, the French broadcast regulatory agency (CSA) and the French government, following resumption of NTDTV broadcasts to China and the recent inauguration of the channel on the Hotbird satellite to Europe and the Middle East. Netherlands-based satellite operator NSS had begun broadcasting the channel on open signal to Asia on 1 July 2003. But just three days after the start of broadcasts, NSS encrypted the signal preventing Chinese
satellite dish owners from seeing the channel. The decision was taken following threats of financial reprisals against the company made to NSS representatives in Beijing. In January 2004, pressure was intensified to ensure that NTDTV was completely excluded from NSS-6 Asia satellite transmission. NTDTV management many times requested NSS to restore the open signal broadcast but this was refused, and on 1 May 2004 the NTDTV transmission to Asia ended. Beijing accuses NTDTV of belonging to the banned Falungong movement, which it considers a diabolical cult.
NTDTV told Reporters Without Borders that other companies had refused to broadcast or host the channel on their satellites for fear of Chinese reprisals.
Source: Tele-Satellite News
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