The National Communications Commission last month proposed new rules which would require TV stations to air locally produced shows during prime time. On Tuesday last week, the commission held a public hearing at which the proposal received mixed responses. While setting down rules regarding locally produced shows is an important first step, the government needs a more comprehensive plan to boost the TV industry.
Requiring TV stations to air locally produced shows during prime time is one of the key ways a government can protect the local TV industry. Many nations have banned TV stations from airing foreign-produced shows during prime time to help the development of the local TV industry. Last year, China even extended its ban on foreign-produced material to include online audiovisual content to direct the local audiovisual industry toward producing its own material.
In contrast, the government has done little to protect Taiwan’s TV industry and over the years an increasing number of TV stations have chosen to air programs made abroad instead of locally-produced shows to lower costs, which has brought the TV production industry to the verge of collapse as people leave the business. The commission’s proposal to impose new rules has come relatively late, but it is a step in the right direction.
However, in addition to banning foreign shows during prime time, a more comprehensive policy is needed. In response to the commission’s proposal, some said that TV stations have been unable to produce quality shows because the business environment has been less than ideal, while some have said that government subsidies have had little effect. Some questioned how many people still watch TV when a wide variety of shows are available on the Internet. These are all problems facing the TV industry.
The commission and related authorities should develop a comprehensive plan that in turn addresses each problem facing the industry and attracts fresh talent to create a positive cycle.
First, a fund for improving the quality of locally produced shows should be set up. Producing a TV show requires a great deal of resources, but the profit is often thinly spread: While most goes to service providers — such as cable providers, telecoms and streaming Web sites — little goes to producers. Considering that providers are making big profits, while scarcely contributing to the production of quality programs, the government should impose a sales tax on them. The additional tax income could go toward a fund dedicated to helping local producers of TV content.
Second, to ensure that government-subsidized shows are aired, terrestrial TV stations should have the responsibility to air them. Many TV service providers have turned down requests from directors and screenwriters subsidized by the Ministry of Culture to produce and air their material, as they are solely concerned with short-term viewership.
For instance, Golden Bell Award-winning director Tsao Jui-yuan (曹瑞原) was rejected many times by various TV stations before Public TV Service agreed to air his TV series A Touch of Green (一把青). In light of such issues, the commission should require terrestrial TV stations which receive public resources to assist in the production and airing of content subsidized by the Ministry of Culture so that the public gets to see them and government investment pays off.
Third, in the digital age, the government should put more effort into promoting locally produced content on a wide variety of platforms to connect Taiwan with the world. It should also help content producers convert their work into digital formats and build a competitive local platform for the promotion of multimedia content. This way, locally produced content with insights into Taiwan could gain viewership overseas and over the long term, develop an audience and become better known internationally.
While the world’s leading TV content producers have the full support of their governments, abundant funding, creative talent and audiences around the world, Taiwanese are still wondering what the government is planning to do.
Although the commission deserves some praise for taking steps to promote locally produced shows, this is only one of very few policies, and it is important that the effort does not end there. To boost Taiwan’s TV industry requires a comprehensive policy, and as President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration pushes for reform, now is a good time to also reform the industry.
By putting forward its proposal on the production of local content, the commission has heralded a possible beginning for that reform. The Cabinet and other government departments must follow up and show their support. Hopefully their concerted efforts will help bring high-quality, original TV shows with a Taiwanese perspective to the world stage.
Lin Lih-yun is a professor at National Taiwan University’s Graduate Institute of Journalism and executive director of the Campaign for Media Reform.
Translated by Tu Yu-an
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