Ear-licking scandal sparks concerns about the media

The extensive coverage devoted to acting head of the Department of Health (DOH) Twu Shiing-jer 's (涂醒哲) alleged sexual harassment has academics and social critics lamenting the lack of professionalism in Taiwan's media and accusing the media of stifling society's progress.

"Such gossip just makes Taiwan socially dysfunctional. Taiwanese society will be paralyzed and the public will eventually refuse to think about public policies," said Hu Yu-wei (胡幼偉), a professor at National Taiwan Normal University's Graduate Institute of Mass Communications.

Chinese-language media reported on Tuesday allegations by Cheng Ko-jung (鄭可榮) that Twu kissed him against his will during an event at a KTV parlor celebrating Twu's promotion at the DOH. The allegations also stated that Twu licked Cheng's ears.

PFP Legislator Diane Lee (李慶安) has held press conferences with Cheng accusing Twu of inappropriate behavior in the Legislative Yuan and at the KTV parlor.

No media, however, have offered any objective background information about Cheng, while Cheng has also failed to offer any effective evidence to prove that he is trustworthy.

The Taiwan Television Enter-prise's news carried on Thursday an interview with Dr. Hsu Chun-ing (徐群英), who says he works for National Taiwan University Hospital. Hsu said that he attended the event at the KTV parlor and didn't see Twu doing anything inappropriate.

Many print media quoted the interview yesterday. However Hsu's name was not on a list of doctors at the hospital.

The Chinese-language media have reported all the details offered by Lee and Cheng without checking their accuracy, prompting a social critic to suggest that Twu should file suits against those media organizations which have reported inaccurate information about him.

Lack of evidence

"The local media organizations have covered the incident without offering evidence and have failed to look at reality. The only way to improve their performance is to file a suit against them and ask for a large amount of compensation from them," said Chin Heng-wei (金恆煒), editor in chief of Contemporary Monthly.

Ping Lu (平路), a social critic and columnist, meanwhile, remarked: "This is the darkest age for Taiwan's media."

Ping believes the expected arrival of the paparazzi-style Hong Kong Apple Daily in Taiwan has made the local print media tense.

"I believe the print media's paparazzi performance is based on the desire of editorial departments to satisfy readers' desire for such issues and to prepare for the shock that will be brought by the Apple Daily," Ping said.

Ping, however, said this "darkest age" might end once the Apple Daily has arrived.

"The local dailies are not competitive enough on paparazzi reports compared with the Apple Daily and Next magazine. They can't offer as accurate reporting as Apple does, which might lead local dailies to report on serious issues after all," Ping said.