The Association for International Broadcasting has condemned attempts to interfere with English-language broadcasts from the BBC World Service, Radio Australia and Voice of America in Asia.
Broadcasters and independent monitors in Asia have found evidence that the People’s Republic of China is the source of the jamming.
“Free access to information is a universal human right, and this interference is preventing audiences based within China to hear news from outside the country,” said AIB Chief Executive Simon Spanswick. “It comes at a time when China’s own international broadcasters — on radio and television— are expanding rapidly around the world. They do not suffer from attempts by other nations to silence them. AIB calls on China to cease its jamming activities.”
International broadcasts in Mandarin have long experienced these problems, but English-language services have not been widely targeted before, says AIB.
The advocacy group is formalizing its complaint by lodging protests with the Chinese Foreign Ministry and its Missions in Canberra, London and Washington, D.C.
