Regulators Fine Tencent Over Unlicensed News Broadcasts

China’s media regulator said it would punish Tencent, one of China’s leading internet giants, for making and broadcasting political and societal news programs without a permit, as well as for showing what it deemed to be “vulgar” videos.

The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television released a statement on Thursday saying it has ordered Tencent Holdings Ltd. to “rectify serious breaches” of relevant regulations. And as a punishment, the administration has partially suspended approval of Tencent’s move to import foreign video programs.

The regulator said it had summoned Tencent executives for four talks between 2016 and April 2017, asking for changes to various issues in its managing of video and audio programs.

Tencent has not responded to Caixin’s inquiry on the length of the time given to fix its programming or what imported programs may have been impacted.

According to the 2007 Regulation on the Administration of Internet Audiovisual Program Services, an organization must hold a broadcast permit or internet news service permit in order to provide political and societal new services. It also forbids internet services to allow individuals to upload news videos or audio programs.

The regulation also says the internet programs should not have content that elaborate on violence, pornography, gambling or terrorism, or have anything that could induce young people to commit crimes.

As Tencent’s headquarter is based in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, the provincial press regulator has followed the national authority’s request to punish Tencent by levying a fine. The amount of the fine has not been disclosed but according to regulations, Tencent can be fined up to 30,000 yuan ($4,370).

Authorities have been strengthening their scrutiny on internet companies’ recently. The Beijing cyberspace administration office talked with executives from Sina, Neteast, Ifeng.com and Tencent on May 8, ordering them to stop streaming news reports in their live broadcast services.

The Cyberspace Administration of China on May 2 released a new Internet News Information Service Regulation requiring all online content providers serving Chinese-mainland internet users to obtain a cyberspace administration permit before being allowed to post news or news commentaries.

The regulation, which will take effect on June 1, said news portals must be legally registered on the mainland, and that every chief editor must be a citizen of the People’s Republic of China.