CTS Chair and Acting General Manager Both Resigned：Shouldn't NCC Chairman Follow？
United Daily News Editorial, April 26, 2022
CTS News made two unbelievable mistakes in one day. On the morning of April 20, first reporting false information such as New Taipei City was hit by a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) missile, the president issued an emergency order, and other false messages regarding mainland China attacking Taiwan. The news station later released more false information, including that the Datun Volcanoes erupted, and lava is flowing down as well as fist sized hail is falling down in Taipei. CTS News reporting fake news on war and natural disasters to frighten citizens proves that from decision making to management, there are big issues within the Taiwan Broadcast System (TBS). For this, Chairwoman Tchen Yu-chiou of the TBS and Acting General Manager Chen Ya-lin of the Chinese Television Service (CTS) both resigned. However, both the Ministry of Culture (MOC) and the National Communications Commission (NCC) are to blame. Chairman Chen Yaw-shyang of the NCC should also resign.
On the surface, it looks as if this erroneous information are just mis-operations by the technicians in the deputy control room. But in fact, TV news production and broadcasting all have a fixed process, and the fact that this kind of low-level error is still taking place at CTS, a station that has been established for more than half a century, shows that the station is out of control. In the beginning, Chairman Chen of the NCC removed CtiTV News from channel 52, and used the words "give Taiwan Broadcast System a chance" to forcibly open the way for CTS. Unexpectedly, CTS’s performance not only did not meet the expectations of the public, and also caused frequent criticism, because the executives’ actions often deviated from their professions due to their support from the government. The TBS had become a propaganda tool dominated by the ruling party, which also proves that Chen paving the way for CTS is completely bringing the media industry backwards.
At the time of the incident, Chen Ya-lin, who was acting as general manager of CTS, was still in quarantine, and basically there was “no adult at home.” The reason that Chen went abroad was to receive a bid of NT$10 million (about US$340,200) from the expatriate community. She went to the United States, Germany, France, and other countries to interview Taiwanese representatives abroad and help promote the government's public relations. In addition to there being "no adults" at CTS, the TBS has delayed appointment of the appropriate heads and managers for the past two years. Under such circumstances, the reform and development of the TBS has been delayed. CTS has deviated from the mission of "public" television and become a propaganda machine controlled by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Chen was appointed to the position of acting general manager because the former General Manager Chuang Feng-chia criticized the National Day on October 10 as a “ghost day” based on his dislike of the Republic of China. He also called to “threaten” the opposition legislators when the Legislative Yuan requested a review of the money loss from CTS, which caused him to be replaced. Chuang is a monster that the DPP administration has created and protected the whole way through, and the MOC and the NCC also contribute to this. Although Chuang has resigned, CTS is still the same. The absurd notification about a Communist Chinese missile attack is just the inevitable development of this ridiculous media.
This time, this drama caused by CTS, the MOC quickly knew to be ashamed and apologized. But the NCC, the initiator of it all, has remained silent, completely losing their ruthlessness like when they were trying to revoke the license CtiTV News. In the end, under the media's questioning, they said that according to the Radio and Television Act for "obstructing public order and good customs," the maximum fine can be up to NT$2 million (about US$68,040). In this major case that alarmed top national security officials, even the Bureau of Investigation had to get involved. The slow speed and indifference of the NCC shows that it has long since been reduced from an "independent agency" to a "bureaucratic agency.” No matter how big a mistake they make, it can be made into a small issue. What kind of credibility does the NCC have to govern the national communication policy?
Tchen and Chen have both resigned. With the actions taken by the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen, they were both saved from facing the embarrassment of being investigated by the Legislative Yuan. However, no matter how thick-skinned Chairman Chen of the NCC is, how should he face his own selfishness of wrongly loving CTS, and his double-standard behavior? If the Taiwan Broadcast Group cannot remain a “public spirit,” and officials are all arranged by the DPP, the Taiwan Broadcast Group will fall into the category of a DPP-friendly media.