The National Communications Commission (NCC) will soon hold a meeting with media experts to seek their opinion about the Tsai family’s purchase of Kbro Co’s 12 cable television systems before issuing a final ruling on the case.
Last week, NCC spokesperson Chen Jeng-chang (陳正倉) said that the chances the commission would approve the case were very high and that it might even issue its decision this week. Yesterday, however, Chen said the commission had decided to continue discussions on the case and solicit the views of media experts.
“We hope their opinions can help us sort out which items involve change of proposed operational plans and which can be added as conditions if we grant approval,” Chen said when asked about the change in decision. “Basically, the commissioners all voiced their support for the purchase.”
The purchase of the nation’s largest multiple-system operator (MSO) was executed through a media company named Dafu, which was said to be founded by Fubon Financial Holding Co chairman Daniel Tsai (蔡明忠) and his brother, Taiwan Mobile Co chairman Richard Tsai (蔡明興).
Chen said the NCC expects Dafu to help accelerate the provision of digital cable television services and that it would not block any legal television channel from being aired on its cable systems.
Dafu also cannot ban channel operators from airing the programs simultaneously on Chunghwa Telecom’s multimedia-on-demand (MOD) system, which is in competition with cable operators, he said.
Aside from holding a consultation meeting, Chen said the commission would also post information related to the case on its Web site and welcome public comments on the case.
“We want Dafu to set an example by making specific promises,” he said. “We also encourage the public to examine those promises and tell us if they are good enough.”
Regarding market rumors that Dafu was planning to purchase the seven channels owned by Eastern Multimedia Group, Che said the commission wanted Dafu to promise not to buy them, as well as refrain from operating both news and finance channels in the near term.
“We would have to review the case differently if Dafu buys Eastern’s channels because the commissioners would have to consider issues related to vertical integration of businesses and how that would affect the market,” Chen said. “We are also concerned that the Tsais would use news and finance channels to broadcast news favorable to the Fubon Group or to promote the sale of their own stocks.”
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