Global news media on defensive after Putin signs 'fake news' law

FILE PHOTO: A pedestrian walks past a BBC logo at Broadcasting House in central London October 22, 2012. REUTERS/Olivia Harris

LONDON/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Global news media said they were suspending reporting in Russia to protect their journalists after a new law that threatened jail terms of up to 15 years for spreading "fake news".

Britain's BBC said Friday it had temporarily halted reporting in Russia, and by the end of the day, the Canadian Broadcasting Company and Bloomberg News said their journalists were also stopping work. CNN and CBS News said they would stop broadcasting in Russia, and other outlets removed Russian-based journalists' bylines as they assessed the situation.