TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As Taiwan's local elections are 60 days away, the review of a new cable TV news channel is sparking controversy, nine months after a broadcasting license was granted to Mirror News amid criticism of alleged political favoritism by the pro-ruling party news media group.
The scandal developed quickly on Tuesday (Sept. 27) when a legislator of the New Power Party played three audio clips to Premier Su Tseng-tsang (蘇貞昌) during an interpellation session, allegedly recorded from the conversations between then-Mirror News Chairman Pei Wei (裴偉) and his company shareholders in January.
In the audio, Pei was heard assuring major shareholders that he could directly reach President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to indirectly pressure Premier Su and officials of the National Communications Commission (NCC) to clear roadblocks facing the company.
The same day, former Mirror News Chairman Chen Chien-pin (陳建平) also issued a statement questioning the legitimacy of the NCC hosting a review meeting with the country's 33 cable TV operators to see whether Mirror News would be aired on prime channel 55, which is now taken by TVBS, or channel 86, before sorting out the news agency's management feuds.
"Why did the NCC rush to do so without getting it done in due process," asked Chen.
Described by some local pundits as a setback to Taiwan's democracy and freedom of expression, the addition of Mirror News, which is believed to be pro-Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), concerns Kung Lin-shin (孔令信), a professor teaching journalism at a university in Taiwan.
Kung said Mirror News has been given chances to re-submit the required documents to get a new license, but unfortunately, pro-Kuomintang Chung T'ien Television did not have it when applying for a renewal of the broadcasting license.
Earlier this year, Taipei Mayor and Taiwan People Party's Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) also claimed that today, eight out of the eleven cable news networks have shifted to the left or center-left of the political spectrum in his opinion, leading to a news media environment of deep partisan divisions, in which pro-DPP greatly outweigh the others, which he claims is doing no good for the development of democracy.
In response to accusations of leveraging his influence among DPP's top politicians, Pei issued a statement on Wednesday (Sept. 28) denying the allegations, saying the audio files were released by a sacked executive and were ill-intentionally edited. The New Power Party replied that the party is open to having the audio files examined by a third party to prove their claims.
