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Hsieh gets prime-time slot

Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday began a series of nightly television appearances in a bid to promote the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) policies and candidates in the Dec. 3 local government elections.

He will make 11 one-hour appearances on Formosa TV's Challenge the Policies talk show, which airs weekdays at 9pm -- the same time slot as TVBS' 2100 Quan Min Kai Jia [The Speaking Your Mind at 2100], a pro-blue camp show that recently publicized evidence of corruption in the DPP government.

That scheduling has led many to believe that Hsieh's appearances are intended to be the DPP's direct challenge and response to the nightly flogging it gets on TVBS' talk show. But DPP Spokesman Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) denied that was the case.

"The TV station proposed the idea, not us," Cheng said.

According to Cheng, Formosa TV invited Hsieh to make the appearances, but is charging NT$1 million (US$30,000) for the air time.

"The DPP headquarters paid NT$700,000 and the premier took care of another NT$300,000 from his own pocket," he explained.

Cheng told reporters that FTV has invited the premier to be a guest many times. The party proposed that Hsieh have a chance to promote DPP policies, and the proposal was accepted last week.
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