DPP legislator Trong Chai (蔡同榮) claimed yesterday that media reform cannot be accomplished in a single step and reaffirmed that he favors a "gradual" process of slow improvement.
Chai, who concurrently serves as a DPP Central Standing Committee member and as chairman of Formosa Television Co, made the remarks one day after he was interviewed by President Chen Shui-bian (
In its Central Standing Committee meeting next week, the DPP is expected to discuss the party's policy of pushing for the withdrawal of military, government and political-party forces from the media.
It has also been reported that during the communication process, many DPP heavyweights who serve in key media posts -- ? such as Chang Chun-hung, Ke Chien-ming (柯建銘) and Lin Chung-cheng (林忠正) -- have reluctantly agreed to comply with the wishes of the party. Chai is the only one who disagrees.
Meanwhile, some media outlets reported that although Chen did not ask Chai to step down from his Formosa TV position, Chen did tell Chai that "a smart man should see the current situation clearly."
Chai said that while he has always favored the withdrawal of the military, government and political parties from the media, he believes the goal should be achieved in three stages.
First, he said, the government and the opposition KMT should sell their shares in the three terrestrial TV stations -- China Television Company, Chinese Television System and Taiwan Television Enterprise. Then, political parties and party officials should refrain from serving such in key media posts as founders, shareholders, directors or supervisors. The last step should be the withdrawal of elected officials from the media.
The stages should be carried out gradually and not conducted simultaneously, Chai added.
Meanwhile, Liu Cheng-hung (劉政鴻), KMT legislative whip, said that the party's stance on the revised broadcast and television law -- which has passed the first reading in the legislature -- is clear.
Liu said that the KMT will give new law its full support, adding, however, that the president's wish that Chai withdraw from the media is only a smoke-and-mirrors act to shift public focus away from his own poor performance as president.
Liu urged the president to come up with pragmatic policies to relieve the economic woes of the general public.
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