Media associations yesterday spoke out strongly against a draft personal data protection act (個人資料保護法), which passed its second reading at the Legislative Yuan on Tuesday, saying it would severely jeopardize freedom of the press.
May Chen (陳依玫), chairwoman of the self-disciplinary committee at the Satellite Television Broadcasting Association, said the fact that the draft act requires reporters to secure a person’s approval before they can publish a story on that person is a sign of a “backtracking democracy.”
“I do not agree with a culture that encourages people to break news to media. And yet, the conduct of public figures, to a certain extent, can be and must be examined by the public,” Chen said.
As an example, Chen said that the character of a political candidate could be called into question if he poses as a loving husband when in fact his wife is a victim of domestic violence.
“The act would greatly restrict freedom of the press and of speech, which is even stricter than the regulations executed during the Martial Law era,” she said, adding that the legislative process surrounding the bill was severely flawed.
Meanwhile, the National Communications Commission (NCC) said yesterday it would discuss the serious consequences of a third passage of the draft act with the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and the Government Information Office.
The Legislative Yuan Web site says that bills that have completed a second reading shall undergo a third reading. During the third reading stage, however, revisions other than the rephrasing of bills are not permitted, unless bills are found to be self-contradictory, unconstitutional or in conflict with other laws.
Jason Ho (何吉森), director of the NCC’s communication content department, said Article 9 in the draft act proposed by the MOJ originally exempted the media from following the regulations.
“While the parties negotiated the bill, some legislators wanted to use this article to regulate comments by political pundits,” Ho said. “However, the article was changed in a way that applies to the media in general.”
“Suppose a journalist wants to write about a government official who is allegedly involved in an embezzlement scandal. The journalist would have to ask the official’s permission before he can publish the story. This goes against the principle of press freedom,” Ho said.
Ho said the MOJ had suggested that the NCC amend the Broadcasting and Television Act (廣播電視法) as a remedial measure to protect freedom of the press, but Ho said that was unlikely to happen.
The Broadcasting and Television Act regulates radio and TV services and does not regulate print media. Print media are not regulated by any law since the nation annulled the Publishing Act (出版法) in 1999.
SHIPS, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES: The ministry has announced changes to varied transportation industries taking effect soon, with a number of effects for passengers Beginning next month, the post office is canceling signature upon delivery and written inquiry services for international registered small packets in accordance with the new policy of the Universal Postal Union, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The new policy does not apply to packets that are to be delivered to China, the ministry said. Senders of international registered small packets would receive a NT$10 rebate on postage if the packets are sent from Jan. 1 to March 31, it added. The ministry said that three other policies are also scheduled to take effect next month. International cruise ship operators
NUMBERS IMBALANCE: More than 4 million Taiwanese have visited China this year, while only about half a million Chinese have visited here Beijing has yet to respond to Taiwan’s requests for negotiation over matters related to the recovery of cross-strait tourism, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. Taiwan’s tourism authority issued the statement after Chinese-language daily the China Times reported yesterday that the government’s policy of banning group tours to China does not stop Taiwanese from visiting the country. As of October, more than 4.2 million had traveled to China this year, exceeding last year. Beijing estimated the number of Taiwanese tourists in China could reach 4.5 million this year. By contrast, only 500,000 Chinese tourists are expected in Taiwan, the report said. The report
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency yesterday launched a gift box to market honey “certified by a Formosan black bear” in appreciation of a beekeeper’s amicable interaction with a honey-thieving bear. Beekeeper Chih Ming-chen (池明鎮) in January inspected his bee farm in Hualien County’s Jhuosi Township (卓溪) and found that more than 20 beehives had been destroyed and many hives were eaten, with bear droppings and paw prints near the destroyed hives, the agency said. Chih returned to the farm to move the remaining beehives away that evening when he encountered a Formosan black bear only 20m away, the agency said. The bear
Chinese embassy staffers attempted to interrupt an award ceremony of an international tea competition in France when the organizer introduced Taiwan and displayed the Republic of China flag, a Taiwanese tea farmer said in an interview published today. Hsieh Chung-lin (謝忠霖), chief executive of Juxin Tea Factory from Taichung's Lishan (梨山) area, on Dec. 2 attended the Teas of the World International Contest held at the Peruvian embassy in Paris. Hsieh was awarded a special prize for his Huagang Snow Source Tea by the nonprofit Agency for the Valorization of Agricultural Products (AVPA). During the ceremony, two Chinese embassy staffers in attendance
RSS