[Digikam-devel] Chinese Ambassador Admits to Pressuring Eutelsat to Discontinue NTDTV's Signal

destinyman at ymail.com destinyman at ymail.com
Sat Aug 16 20:23:44 BST 2008 

Agency Switch Abets Eutelsat's Halt to NTDTV Broadcast

Another snag has emerged, hindering New Tang Dynasty TV (NTDTV) from resuming its broadcast into China. Recently, the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG)—which broadcasts 
Voice of America and Radio Free Asia into Asia—announced that it will soon switch from Eutelsat to Asiasat as its satellite provider.

NTDTV, the only independent Chinese TV station that broadcasts uncensored information into China, had its signal abruptly cut by Eutelsat, a French satellite company, on June 17, 
2008, seven weeks prior to the Beijing Olympic Games. Eutelsat stated that this was due to technical problems but a report from Reporters Without Boarders revealed that the broadcast 
termination came under continuous pressure from the Chinese communist regime . The report said that Eutelsat’s CEO deliberately turned off NTDTV’s transmission into China in order to 
please Beijing officials.

In 2005, Eutelsat abruptly announced that it sought to terminate its contract with NTDTV in an effort to earn more business from the Chinese communist regime. In an article by the Wall 
Street Journal, Eutelsat was found to have terminated its contract with NTDTV because the company aimed at obtaining Olympics broadcast rights. Eutelsat’s long-range plan involved 
establishing a temporary relationship with NTDTV, which they knew would upset the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Once Eutelsat broke its ties to NTDTV, they believed that the CCP 
would reward the company broadcast rights for the upcoming Olympic Games. In other words, Eutelsat intended to strategically use NTDTV to gain business from the Chinese authorities.
Related Articles

    * Satellite Company Lies About Shutdown of TV Station, Says Recording
    * Chinese Ambassador Admits to Pressuring Eutelsat to Discontinue NTDTV's Signal
    * TV Signal Cut Under Pressure From Chinese Regime
    * Former Chinese Official Criticizes Eutelsat
    * Eutelsat’s Double Losses From Discontinuing NTDTV’s Broadcast
    * Independent Satellite Stations Could Go Black in China

However, Eutelsat endured extensive criticism in the West for terminating its NTDTV contract. Many government officials from both the U.S. and Europe wrote and called Eutelsat urging 
continued service to NTDTV. An enormous public outcry over Eutelsat’s decision, forced the company to reconsider its decision. Reporters without Boarders and the International 
Federation of Journalists also initiated a series of activities to support NTDTV’s broadcast into China. Eventually, under enormous pressure from around the world, Eutelsat had to 
withdraw its original plan, and continued to broadcasting NTDTV from its W5 satellite.

At that time, the U.S. Congress requested that BBG put its Voice of America and Free Asia Radio broadcasts on the Eutelsat’s W5 as well. While the company was still interested in 
pursuing business from the CCP, they couldn’t afford to lose their precious U.S. market, and acceded to the request. The contract between BBG and Eutelsat became the only legal 
protection for NTDTV’s satellite broadcast into an otherwise state-controlled media environment in China. Except for NTDTV’s programming, all the TV stations, radio stations, 
newspapers, magazines, books and Internet content were either produced by or heavily monitored by the CCP. Any media outside this state-controlled system was terminated. Among 169 
countries in the world, China ranked seventh in having the least press freedom.

According to informed sources, in the past few years the CCP has continuously harassed the BBG. Such pressure from the CCP, coupled with the BBG’s internal changes over the past 
year, have led to the BBG’s decision to cancel its contract with Eutelsat. As of the end of 2007, the BBG has transferred Voice of America and Radio Free Asia to Asiasat 3S, a satellite 
controlled by the Chinese communist regime. It was not until recently that BBG notified NTDTV of its decision to terminate the contract with Eutelsat.

Kelly Hong—the NTDTV spokesperson who helped convince the U.S. Congress to establish and maintain an independent media presence in China—stated that Eutelsat also sent out a 
notification immediately following the BBG decision. Since the BBG will terminate its contract with Eutelsat, Eutelsat will terminate its contract with NTDTV. The reorganization of the BBG 
effectively terminated the only free window of information into mainland China.

Because the BBG now uses the CCP-controlled Asiasat 3S, the Chinese regime can interfere with this signal at any time, terminating any program it desires. BBG originally used the Ku  
band (Kurtz-under band) on its W5 broadcast into China, allowing even relatively small satellite dishes to receive its signal, making it accessible to more viewers. On Asiasat, the BBG uses 
the C-Band television channel, requiring a much larger satellite dish—substantially reducing viewership and making it more easily detectible to Chinese Internet police.

Hong said many viewers from mainland China have already called and e-mailed NTDTV, hoping it could resume its broadcasting into China. As the BBG terminates its contract on July 31, 
she urges everyone to respond as quickly as possible. “We appreciate the support from Chinese people, and we hope that they can voice their concerns to the U.S. government and the 
BBG via phone calls, faxes and e-mails,” she said.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chinese Ambassador Admits to Pressuring Eutelsat to Discontinue NTDTV's Signal

Sun Yuxi, Chinese ambassador to Italy, admits that Eutelsat discontinued NTDTV's broadcast signal after his repeated negotiations with the European satellite company. (The Epoch 
Times)
Since the report on July 10 from Reporters without Borders on China's involvement in Eutelsat's decision to discontinue NTDTV's signal on its W5 satellite to Asia, new evidence has 
surfaced to confirm that the signal suspension is purely a political decision, and not caused by technical difficulties as initially claimed by Eutelsat.

On July 17, the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG) publicized a telephone conversation recording with Chinese ambassador to Italy Sun Yuxi. In 
the recording, Sun reveals the political pressure he directly placed on Eutelsat as well as the negotiations between the parties.

Sun was recorded describing his interaction with Eutelsat, "I always find the president, vice presidents to do negotiations since they help Falun Gong with the Falun Gong channel. They 
just repeatedly explain to me that they don't intend to do that, and that it was forced in by others during a previous time. Anyway, that's how they explain it."

Sun admitted that Eutelsat immediately reported to him after discontinuing NTDTV's signal. Sun said, "Once he switched off [the signal]—he especially did this for us—he had people tell my 
technical support staff to pass the news onto me, the ambassador, that the issue the ambassador has spoken with us multiple times has already been taken care of. They said that this, 
this, they, while they work, this Falun 
 and anything of Falun Gong will never be presented again."

"We also expressed our encouragement to them.  [We said that] from now on, don't stick with that side; you should collaborate with us. You also should propagandize China from a 
positive perspective. They also repeatedly apologized, promising to never allow anything like this happen again."
Related Articles

    * Reporters Without Borders Confirms Satellite Company Bowed to Chinese Regime
    * Satellite Company Lies About Shutdown of TV Station, Says Recording
    * Free Window of Communication to China Shut Down Prior to the Olympics
    * A Letter to the CEO of Eutelsat

Sun also touched upon the benefits Eutelsat could receive for their actions. Sun disclosed, "They want to develop collaboration with China Central Television (CCTV). In addition to this, 
they want to discuss collaboration with our aviation industry regarding some European satellite, some meteorological satellite. They want to borrow our carrier to launch their satellites."

The New York based NTDTV is one of the few independent Chinese media in the world that is not controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). NTDTV is also the only television 
station Chinese citizens can watch to receive free information. Suspending NTDTV's signal with the Beijing Olympic Games only a month away sends the message that the Eutelsat is 
bowing to CCP dictatorship, and the CCP is robbing the Chinese people of their right to know. This action is a violation of Eutelsat's own principles and the regulations of  international 
business.

WOIPFG believes that the recorded phone conversations with Ambassador Sun Yuxi and New York consulate general Peng Keyu demonstrate how the CCP diplomats are engaged in 
activities beyond their job description. These diplomats have made a routine operation of expanding human rights persecutions in other countries and disrupting ethical business practices.
WOIPFG appeals to the international society to take immediate action to restore NTDTV's broadcast signal to mainland and protect the freedom of press and to opinion.

Audio Recordings

1) http://www.zhuichaguoji.org/cn/upload/Audio/Eu--SunYuxi-1.mp3

2) http://www.zhuichaguoji.org/cn/upload/Audio/Eu--SunYuxi-2.mp3

3) http://www.zhuichaguoji.org/cn/upload/Audio/Eu--SunYuxi-3.mp3
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