🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.
China has appeared to cut the feed of CNN's broadcast in the country as it covered the story of tennis star Peng Shuai.
Concerns were raised for the wellbeing of Peng, aged 35, earlier this month after she seemed to disappear from public life.
This came after an accusation of sexual assault against a senior Chinese minister.
Peng has since reappeared in public and was seen at a youth tennis tournament on Sunday in Beijing.
However, CNN news host John Berman was forced to explain that China had censored the channel during a live broadcast that was covering the story of Peng.
While speaking to correspondent Will Ripley, Berman said: "I just want to explain to our viewers what is happening on screen right now.
"Underneath your face, they can see a box that is actually the live feed of this broadcast in China but it is all just color bars.
"It went to color bars the minute you started talking. What is going on here?"
Ripley highlighted the difficulties that he has faced after years of reporting in China.
He said that pressure continues to rise against Beijing from the international community over the wellbeing of Peng Shuai.
Ripley said: "I have lost count over the last 8 years in Asia covering China, of how many times CNN's coverage of controversial issues has been censored.
"Nonetheless it is a live, real-time example of the censorship that is happening in the mainland.
"They scrubbed Peng Shuai from the internet, they are certainly not talking about this on television and even on international networks.
"They have an army of censors waiting to push that button the minute we start talking about this story. It is not making this story go away.
"The pressure is still mounting on Beijing from the outside because of the efforts of journalists around the world."
Peng also spoke to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Sunday.
The IOC released a statement after the call and said Peng appeared to be safe ad sound.
The IOC added the tennis star had "thanked the International Olympic Committee for its concern about her wellbeing.
The statement also said: "She explained that she is safe and well, living at her home in Beijing, but would like to have her privacy respected at this time.
"She prefers to spend her time with friends and family right now. Nevertheless, she will continue to be involved in tennis."
Some protestors recently took to the streets of New York in support of the tennis star.
Event organizer Crystal Chen, who chose not to be identified by her real name, spoke to the BBC and said Peng was "not truly free" in China.
She added the Peng "can't say whatever she wants to say in a safe condition."
About the writer
Gerrard Kaonga is a Newsweek U.S. News Reporter and is based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on U.S. ... Read more