The United States' Senate Congressional-Executive Committee on China has published a report on their website describing how the Chinese Communist government has systematically harassed and suppressed New York-based television station NTDTV, finally pressuring many companies to renege on contracts and agreements that allowed the station to broadcast overseas.
The report details an agreement between Eutelsat, the company that had a contract to carry NTDTV programming, and ChinaSatCom, a Chinese-government controlled corporation. Shortly after this agreement was announced, Eutelsat further announced that it would be reneging on the automatic renewal clause in its contract with NTDTV.
The report goes on to mention several other occasions when the Chinese government pressured satellite companies to back out of deals with NTDTV.
Citing information from Reporters Without Borders (RSF), an internationally-respected media rights group, the report paints a picture of ongoing attempts by the Chinese government to prevent NTDTV's programming from entering markets where Chinese government–run stations are now the only source for news and information.
RSF has reported in the past about Chinese government attempts to interfere with NTDTV's broadcasts:
- On January 18, 2005, an RSF report said that the Chinese embassy in Ottawa had revoked visas issued to two Canadian journalists working for NTDTV who wished to cover Prime Minister Paul Martin's visit to China.
- On May 24, 2004, citing financial and political pressure from the Chinese government, RSF reported that NTDTV's contract with satellite operator New Skies Satellites for Asia transmission was not renewed.
- Philippine satellite operator Mabuhay cancelled plans to transmit a special NTDTV Chinese New Year broadcast after the Chinese ambassador to the Philippines intervened.
- In February 2003, U.S. operator Atlanta ADTH backed away from an agreement in principle to carry NTDTV because Atlanta ADTH feared losing contracts to carry Chinese channels.
NTDTV is an independent media company that broadcasts Chinese-language news and programming all over the world. NTDTV is one of the very few information sources available to Chinese-speakers that is not directly or indirectly controlled by the Chinese government. As an independent, U.S.-based network, NTDTV is free to ignore Communist propaganda and broadcast accurate and unbiased news, which the Chinese government sees as a threat.
The Congressional-Executive Commission on China was created by Congress with the legislative mandate to monitor human rights and the development of the rule of law in China, and to submit an annual report to the President and the Congress. The current Chair is Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska).
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