Hundreds of Next Media Group employees will lose their jobs after the group yesterday announced restructuring plans, adding that it would sell Next TV to ERA Communications Inc (年代集團).
Next Media Group executive director Cassian Cheung (張嘉聲) said in a written statement that the group had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with ERA chairman Lien Tai-sheng (練台生) about the sale.
Cheung said the group had made substantial investments in Taiwan over the past three years with the goal of establishing a world-class, high-quality digital TV service and video on demand (VOD) platform.
Photo: Sean Chao, Taipei Times
“However, the plan was delayed by the National Communications Commission because of its long review procedure,” Cheung said. “Next TV channels were prevented from being listed in cable TV services because of the current stakeholders in the cable TV systems and consequently, a majority of TV audiences in Taiwan cannot watch Next TV.”
“Despite the challenge, we were still proud of having been able to raise the quality of the nation’s TV and multimedia industry,” Cheung said.
Aside from Next TV network, Cheung said the group would soon terminate its VOD service.
The decision, he said, was made after thoroughly and carefully considering the future development of these divisions.
“Because [Next TV channels] are unable to be included in the mainstream cable TV service, the best option is to merge with a current TV operator,” Cheung said. “As such, we must terminate the multimedia division, which has been coordinating with Next TV.”
Next TV spokesman Chang Hsiu-cher (張修哲) said the two groups were scheduled to sign an official contract within a month of signing the MOU.
The group hopes the transaction will take effect on Jan. 1, he said.
Next Group chairman Jimmy Lai (黎智英) also apologized to Next TV employees in a text message for what he called his personal mistakes.
“I failed in TV and have no regret, but I feel deeply sorry for the colleagues who worked hand-in-hand with me in a slim hope,” Lai said.
“It was my mistake that made you lose three years of your precious youth. I have nothing to repay you. I can only say I am sorry and ask for your forgiveness. Please take care of yourself,” he said.
Meanwhile, Next Media Group reported to the Taipei City Government’s Department of Labor that it planned to lay off 504 employees, including 204 from its VOD service division, and 300 from its TV network.
The department confirmed it had received Next Media’s plan to lay off workers, but said that it would ask the group to provide more information to prove the legitimacy of its actions.
Next Media Group promised that each laid-off employee would receive severance pay higher than the legal requirement.
Last month, Next Media had also said in a voluntary notice to Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing that it was approached by an independent third party interested in purchasing three media outlets in the group, including Chinese-language dailies Apple Daily (Taiwan) and Sharp Daily, as well as Next Magazine.
Aside from being the chairman of ERA TV Network, Lien is also the chairman of Cashbox KTV. An army veteran, he rose to prosperity by working his way up from a position as a part-time employee in a video store.
The change of ownership and board of directors at Next TV still has to be approved by the commission.
ERA executive director Wang Yi-ling (王宜陵) could not be reached for comment.
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
LANDSLIDES POSSIBLE: The agency advised the public to avoid visiting mountainous regions due to more expected aftershocks and rainfall from a series of weather fronts A series of earthquakes over the past few days were likely aftershocks of the April 3 earthquake in Hualien County, with further aftershocks to be expected for up to a year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Based on the nation’s experience after the quake on Sept. 21, 1999, more aftershocks are possible over the next six months to a year, the agency said. A total of 103 earthquakes of magnitude 4 on the local magnitude scale or higher hit Hualien County from 5:08pm on Monday to 10:27am yesterday, with 27 of them exceeding magnitude 5. They included two, of magnitude
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique