Government Information Office (GIO, 新聞局) head Su Tzen-ping (
"This has been the most challenging job I've ever had since I took office. Some legislators who work as the stations' nominal applicants show up and exert pressure [on us]," Su said at yesterday's session, in response to several legislators' inquiries.
Su added that there are currently 495 applicants for station licenses, but the government only plans to issue licenses to 47 stations after their proposals have been reviewed and approved.
Su refused to reveal how many legislators are involved.
DPP legislator Chen Chin-jun (陳景峻) also said that political manipulation has been found to take place within the management of the radio stations to be established.
He said that some station owners who applied for licenses did not actually plan to run the stations, but reserve their licenses for sale.
"The price is never lower than NT$40 million and can run up to NT$100 million," Chen said yesterday, adding that, so far, no laws have been passed to regulate such moves.
Echoing Chen's views, Lee said that in central Taiwan, an Aboriginal legislator has beensuccessful in obtaining a radio station license that other aboriginal groups' had originally jointly applied for in order to produce aboriginal programs.
Lee therefore urged Su and the government to review license issuing procedures closely so that radio stations would not become tools for politicians to exert power and turn a profit.
In response, Su said that although there are no laws that forbid legislators from establishing radio stations, the government should carefully trace whether stations that have obtained licenses are properly operated so that stations fulfill their social responsibilities.
The government has issued 145 licenses to radio stations nationwide since 1993, Su added.
Last Friday, Su was lambasted by DPP legislator Liang Mu-yung (梁牧養) for his poor performance as a government spokesman at the legislature's question-and-answer session.
Afterwards, many speculated that Liang's criticism was meant to retaliate against Su, who did not issue a license to his radio station in Kaohsiung.
Liang last week denied the allegations saying that he has sold all of his shares in the station and has no longer has any connection with the station.
Su was asked about Liang's attack once again yesterday morning.
"I wouldn't say I felt honored [to be criticized by Liang], however, I felt not a bit ashamed," Su said.
He refused to further comment publicly on Liang's motives.
Su, however, reportedly told KMT legislator Lin Hong-tsung (林宏宗) afterwards that "I can only speculate privately [about Liang's motives]."
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
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
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
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