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DPP lawmakers demand NCC probe of TVBS manager

A pair of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday accused the general manager of cable station TVBS, Lee Tao (李濤), and his wife Lee Yen-chiu (李豔秋), of providing information to an opposition lawmaker who has made accusations against first lady Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍).

Legislators William Lai (賴清德) and Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) called on the National Communications Commission (NCC) to launch an investigation into TVBS and its political talk shows.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chiu Yi (邱毅) has accused Wu of reselling Pacific Sogo Department Store gift vouchers to seven friends. He claimed Wu received the vouchers in exchange for facilitating the transfer of the store's operating rights. The people Chiu has said bought the vouchers from Wu have denied his accusations.

At a press conference yesterday, Lai and Hsu said Lee and his wife offered information about Wu to Chiu when the lawmaker was a guest on Lee's talk show and when he held press conferences at the legislature.

"Lee wanted to bring about the collapse the DPP government. His political talk show, 2100 Quan Min Kai Jiang (Speaking Your Mind at 2100) has upset social stability," Lai said.

Lai also demanded that TVBS investigate Lee and his wife to see if they have abused freedom of the press by making politically biased allegations against the government.

"If it is proven that the Lees did incite political unrest, I urge TVBS to oust them so that the media can retain its impartiality. They are just black sheep," Lai said.

Lai said the NCC was established to protect the freedom and purity of the media and he urged the commission to immediately begin an investigation to determine whether the couple acted out of malicious spite and political bias.

"If what we have said is true, then it would not be a loss [to society] if TVBS was shut down," Lai said.

Lee issued a press release yesterday afternoon defending his actions. He said he could not accept the two lawmakers' criticism because he has simply been pursuing the truth.
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