The Cabinet yesterday approved an amendment to the Broadcasting and Television Act (廣播電視法) that would allow public auctions and bidding for TV and broadcasting licenses, as well as extend the license validity period, said Weng Hsiao-ling (翁曉玲), a member of the National Communications Commission (NCC).
Currently, a special task force composed of government officials, academics and industry representatives review and grant licenses to operate a TV or broadcasting channel.
Conducting public bids or auctions, in addition to a public review system, would enhance transparency in granting licenses, Weng said.
If approved by the legislature, the commission would draft bylaws based on the amendment to restrict the application of the new practice to licenses for commercial channels only.
“As television and broadcasting enterprises are involved in a cultural undertaking, they should not only be concerned with profits but also think of public interest,” she said.
The amendment also suggested extending the license validity from the current six years to nine years, while the regular interval for a TV or radio operator to undergo assessment would be extended from two years to three years.
Weng said three more years for a licence would be an appropriate term for an operator to recoup its investment.
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