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Editorial: KMT tugs at the media's strings

In the past, media control was an important instrument of social control for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). This is why the party's media companies -- the China Television Co (中國電視公司), the Broadcasting Corporation of China (BCC, 中國廣播公司), the Central Motion Picture Corp (中影公司), the Central Daily News (中央日報) and the Chunghwa Daily (中華日報) were among the last companies the party owned.

On the surface, the KMT has privatized these companies, but even now doubt remains about their inside workings and who is calling the shots. The KMT has loosened its control over the media with its right hand, but is still trying to manipulate it with its left.

To weaken the political influence of pan-green radio stations in the south, the KMT announced this week it would "fight radio stations with radio stations" by signing contracts with 20 broadcasters in central and southern Taiwan. This will allow the party to buy air time to broadcast a "balanced report." This is the start of a broadcasting war between the two political parties in the south.

KMT Secretary-General Wu Den-yi (吳敦義) said the political views of some of the underground radio stations in the south were extreme. After Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) became the party's presidential candidate, for example, many of these stations broadcast a rumor that farmers' pensions would be abolished. The lie was widely broadcast and believed by many to be true. But the KMT did not simply correct the mistake. Rather, it decided to pull the media's strings itself -- something in which it is all too well versed -- by purchasing air time.

Most people in the south support the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), so it is no surprise that the south produces broadcasts that express pan-green views. By the same token, in the north, where the KMT has the advantage, reports are more pan-blue in tone.

It is only to be expected, in a nation with freedom of the press, that the media reflects the opinion of the people.

As Taiwan's democracy and media freedom have blossomed, the media have been free to present any political point of view they choose.

If the KMT wants to spend its money on broadcasting its message in areas where the public isn't so interested in hearing it, it has the right to do so. However, if it is hoping to win new votes in the south, where the public tends to be deep green, it may be throwing its resources out the window.

The KMT could, on the other hand, adopt a more intense strategy in the south, such as aggressively criticizing the DPP and spreading rumors about its policies or members. This would only intensify the southerners' opposition to the KMT. In addition, it would be a sad day for the media.

Nevertheless, the KMT is likely to take drastic measures as necessary as it bids to get back into the Presidential Office after eight years of being locked out. The KMT will choose to attack the DPP, and, if, as in the past, it employs dirty campaign strategies such as spreading rumors about its rivals, this will only hurt the nation's democracy.
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