TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Chen Chien-ping (陳建平), former chairman of Mirror TV, on Wednesday (June 28) accused the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government of nepotism and corruption over the launch of the television news service, Mirror News.

The National Communications Commission (NCC) on June 28 approved the plan for Mirror TV, a subsidiary owned by Mirror Media, to air its news service on Channel 86. However, since its founding in 2020, Mirror TV has been ensnared in controversy as opposition parties accused it of receiving favorable treatment from the DPP government.

In a statement, Chen called the case a “despicable political scandal” in which those in power and their acolytes have sought to “frame the matter as infighting among shareholders.”

Chen said he agreed to lead Mirror TV in 2021, but soon afterward, he uncovered murky dealings and embezzlement of company funds by Mirror Media President Pei Wei (裴偉). Chen said he felt compelled to expose the wrongdoings to shareholders, but when he did so in January 2022, reporting it to the then-DPP secretary-general on March 2, he was abruptly removed on March 4.

Mirror TV was plunged into further turmoil, changing hands three more times, with some of its board members revealing other violations of approval requirements, including the company's failure to cut contact with Mirror Media in business operations.

Chen said that in May 2022, he informed the NCC of the company's malpractices, but he said the regulator continued to condone them. Chen added that Pei had boasted about his ability to “pull strings."

The opposition has accused the NCC of defying legislation by pushing through with the case despite the investigation being incomplete. In addition, the Taipei District Prosecutors Office has brought corruption charges against NCC Chairman Chen Yao-shang (陳耀祥).

Both presidential candidates of the opposition parties, the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), have criticized the Tsai administration for its handling of the matter.

Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) of the KMT slammed the DPP for reneging on its promise to uphold press freedom by engaging in political manipulation, wrote TVBS. Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) of the TPP accused the DPP government of abuse of power and the NCC of trampling democracy, saying the agency has departed from its role as an independent organ and "should be dismissed."