Several respected figures such as choreographer Lin Hwai-min (
The truth is that all major media outlets have become so deeply involved in the domestic political wrangling that their objectivity is frequently open to question. And to promote their political agenda, some have resorted to fabricating or running unverified stories as front-page news or broadcasting hearsay.
Media outlets are entitled to their own political stance -- as long as they are kept within the editorial and opinion pages, and not masquerading as fact-based, objective news articles.
A glance at a few recent examples shows just how much the local media need to change their work ethics before any more damage is done to the country's fourth estate.
The Chinese-language United Daily News on Aug. 18 ran a front-page story alleging that the president's son-in-law, Chao Chien-ming (
The report, quoting anonymous sources in the jewelry industry, went on to claim that after being released on bail last month, Chao had asked a friend to sell the diamond at a lower price, implying that Chao meant to flee the country.
Threatened with a libel suit by Chao, the paper later issued an apology for failing to verify the facts before running the story.
Something similar also happened not long ago when the Chinese-language China Times published a front-page story alleging that Freddy Lim (
How do these incidents compare with how the international press operates?
Consider Reuters news agency's decision to fire a freelance photographer when it discovered that one of the photographs he took in Beirut had been manipulated using Photoshop software to show more and darker smoke rising from buildings in the aftermath of an Israeli airstrike.
Or, veteran newsman Dan Rather's decision to quit as anchor of CBS Evening News after coming under fire for a contentious and disputed report about US President George W. Bush's military service.
Irresponsible reporting not only misleads the public but also harms those in the media who take their jobs seriously and who are concerned about the image and reputation of the country's press.
In the end it's the public that suffers. Pity the readers and viewers who let their blood pressure rise over a fabricated story.
There is much evidence that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is sending soldiers from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — and is learning lessons for a future war against Taiwan. Until now, the CCP has claimed that they have not sent PLA personnel to support Russian aggression. On 18 April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelinskiy announced that the CCP is supplying war supplies such as gunpowder, artillery, and weapons subcomponents to Russia. When Zelinskiy announced on 9 April that the Ukrainian Army had captured two Chinese nationals fighting with Russians on the front line with details
On a quiet lane in Taipei’s central Daan District (大安), an otherwise unremarkable high-rise is marked by a police guard and a tawdry A4 printout from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicating an “embassy area.” Keen observers would see the emblem of the Holy See, one of Taiwan’s 12 so-called “diplomatic allies.” Unlike Taipei’s other embassies and quasi-consulates, no national flag flies there, nor is there a plaque indicating what country’s embassy this is. Visitors hoping to sign a condolence book for the late Pope Francis would instead have to visit the Italian Trade Office, adjacent to Taipei 101. The death of
By now, most of Taiwan has heard Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s (蔣萬安) threats to initiate a vote of no confidence against the Cabinet. His rationale is that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government’s investigation into alleged signature forgery in the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) recall campaign constitutes “political persecution.” I sincerely hope he goes through with it. The opposition currently holds a majority in the Legislative Yuan, so the initiation of a no-confidence motion and its passage should be entirely within reach. If Chiang truly believes that the government is overreaching, abusing its power and targeting political opponents — then
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), joined by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), held a protest on Saturday on Ketagalan Boulevard in Taipei. They were essentially standing for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which is anxious about the mass recall campaign against KMT legislators. President William Lai (賴清德) said that if the opposition parties truly wanted to fight dictatorship, they should do so in Tiananmen Square — and at the very least, refrain from groveling to Chinese officials during their visits to China, alluding to meetings between KMT members and Chinese authorities. Now that China has been defined as a foreign hostile force,
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