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TBS takeovers criticized by overseas Taiwanese

Overseas Taiwanese have expressed discontent with the recent media merger that saw Taiwan Broadcasting Service (TBS) absorb three TV networks on Jan. 2, the Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission (OCAC) said.

Speaking at a conference outlining the commission's goals for this year, OCAC Chairwoman Chang Fu-mei (張富美) said yesterday that overseas compatriot audiences were upset with an alleged decline in the quality of recent programming by Taiwan Macroview TV, which the commission bankrolls.

Originally established as an independent network, Taiwan Macroview TV merged with TBS, along with the Chinese Television System (CTS), Hakka TV and Indigenous TV, due to financial considerations.

Chang's comments yesterday marked a reversal of her stance on the merger, which she had praised at a TBS ceremony three weeks ago.

Echoing the comments of Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) and Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), who had also attended the ceremony celebrating the merger, Chang said that the new public TV syndicate would enhance Taiwan Macroview's programming.

Such an enhancement would be significant for the country as overseas audiences, including those in China, rely on Taiwan Macroview for understanding the nation, she added.

Yesterday, however, Chang struck an entirely different tone.

"There are now more reruns, popular programs were canceled and the general quality of programming has gone downhill. We're getting a lot of complaints from overseas," Chang said yesterday, referring to Taiwan Macroview since the merger.

"We will definitely consult with TBS on this matter. This is not to say that we intend to berate TBS, but certainly an exchange of opinions needs to happen," she added.

TBS could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The chairwoman also said yesterday that the spread of "Confucius Institutes" worldwide worried the commission and that as a result it would enhance its "advanced placement" Chinese language curricula overseas.

Funded by the Chinese government, Confucius Institutes are especially active in the US, providing their students with affordable, private Chinese-language classes.

Chang said the schools that host such "institutes" are not required to pay for the institutes' services.

From teachers and materials to the institutes' building costs, the Chinese government foots the entire bill, she added.

An increasing number of US academics, meanwhile, are becoming wary of the institutes, accusing them of being international nodes of ideology and influence for the Chinese government.

Chang said that while Advanced Placement curricula are flexible, traditional Chinese characters and books on Taiwan still comprise their core material.
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