[huridocs-tech] China: Contract finally signed for NTDTV long-term broadcast on Eutelsat satellite

Reporters Without Borders
Press release
13 September 2005

CHINA
Contract finally signed for NTDTV long-term broadcast on Eutelsat satellite

Reporters Without Borders today hailed the accord signed on 1 September
2005 granting independent Chinese-language broadcaster New Tang Dynasty TV
(NTDTV) long-term use of a Eutelsat satellite, which will allow it to
conti= nue broadcasting to Asia and China in particular.

"The international campaign in support of NTDTV has not been in vain, the
press freedom organisation said. =93This TV station has the merit of
offering alternative news to the Chinese people and its disappearance from
the Chinese media landscape would have been a real loss for free media."

Reporters Without Borders added: "We urge international Chinese-language
radio and TV stations to use W5 satellite to broadcast without the Chinese
government's censorship."

NTDTV's new contract guarantees the channel the right to broadcast freely
over Asia via Eutelsat for the next six years in a technically
satisfactory manner and at a reasonable cost. This agreement creates a
larger opening for the free flow of information into a very restricted
media market.

NTDTV's agreement with Eutelsat, a European satellite operator with
headquarters in France, was only approved after months of talks. The
satellite operator is not supposed to get involved in questions of content
and refused to comment on the renewal contract. Eutelsat's name does not
directly appear in the contract and even the intermediaries involved have
contractually refused to let their names appear in the press.

The issue of NTDTV's long-term contract with Eutelsat had hung in the
balance since April 2005. Reporters Without Borders had reminded Eutelsat
several times that article 3 of the convention under which it operates
requires it to respect equality of access, pluralism and
non-discrimination.

Eutelsat and its broker had been reluctant to renew with NTDTV ever since
being told by the Chinese government in May 2004 "put an end to this
broadcasting immediately."

--
Vincent Brossel
Asia - Pacific Desk
Reporters Sans Fronti=E8res
5 rue Geoffroy Marie
75009 Paris
33 1 44 83 84 70
33 1 45 23 11 51 (fax)
asia@rsf.org
www.rsf.org



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