Licensing and closure of outlets
A government requires newspapers, broadcasters or news websites to register or to hold a licence, and uses that power to refuse, suspend or cancel it, or to close the outlet. Broadcast licences, which governments issue because radio and television frequencies are limited, are a common lever.
2 recorded incidents in 2 countries; the earliest in the record is dated September 17, 2025.
Incidents by country and year
Hong Kong (1)
| Date | Incident | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 15, 2025 | China (Hong Kong): conviction and 20-year sentence of the media owner Jimmy Lai under the National Security Law, 2025 to 2026 | John Lee | Sustained (February 8, 2026) |
United States (1)
| Date | Incident | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 17, 2025 | United States: Federal Communications Commission chairman's remarks and the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, September 2025 | Donald Trump | Reversed (September 23, 2025) |