Australia is the only country known to put such public diplomacy services out to tender. An independent panel of senior public servants charged to judge the two bids had recommended the contract go to Sky News, only for the government to make a late intervention in the tender process.

It is understood Sky News proposed setting up a dedicated channel for China to run separately from the rest of the network as a way of expanding Australia's reach in the Asian powerhouse, where censorship limits foreign news broadcasts.... the Foreign Affairs Department has said it is keen to gain access for Australia's public diplomacy channel.