Amid mounting criticism over a government practice of buying ads in print publication disguised to look like news reports, the Executive Yuan yesterday proposed a non-binding measure to address the issue.
Rather than having it listed on the agenda of yesterday’s weekly Cabinet meeting, the issue was brought up during a free discussion when Government Information Office (GIO) Minister Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) presented “a set of notes for advertising and promotion policy” toward the end of the meeting.
The proposal suggested that government agencies should not use the practice of “product placement,” also known as advertorials or embedded marketing, in print and electronic media. Government agencies should refrain from placing embedded marketing ads aimed at promoting agency chiefs or their policies in the form of news stories, news features, news programs or news tickers, the proposal suggested.
The proposal also suggested that government agencies be banned from attaching conditions to procuring ads that require media that win the bids to have their reporters cover the ad-placing agencies’ activities or report on events they hold.
Product placements in media by the government “should not be politically motivated,” the GIO said.
Government agencies are allowed to carry out paid advertising to promote policies either by publishing newspaper ads, placing newspaper supplements or commissioning electronic media to produce programs, but they are required to have their names shown in the proper context, the GIO said.
Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) approved the proposal and instructed at the meeting that it be forwarded to all government agencies at central and local levels for their reference.
According to the Legal Affairs Committee under the Executive Yuan, the directives dictated by Wu will be presented in the form of “administrative rules,” which are not legally binding.
“We wish government agencies can comply with the notes after they receive [the administrative rules],” Chiang said.
When asked by reporters how to ensure that government agencies follow or whether they would be disciplined if they fail to obey the rules, Chiang said: “Every agency chief shall be held responsible for [the proposal’s] implementation.”
“Before the rules are written into law, the [Executive Yuan] will rely on government agencies to exercise self-discipline in compliance with the rules,” he said.
Chiang said the GIO is neither a government agency nor a supervisory organ for print media because the nation annulled the Publishing Act (出版法) in 1999. The management of electronic media falls under the authority of the National Communication Commission (NCC).
The NCC will soon propose amendments to the Satellite Broadcasting Act (衛星廣播電視法) and Radio and Television Act (廣播電視法) to regulate the practice of advertorial placement in electronic media, Chiang said.
As for regulations concerning embedded marketing by government in print media, Chiang said some had suggested banning government agencies from using public funds to place advertorials by amending the Government Procurement Act (政府採購法) and the Budget Act (預算法).
“[The Executive Yuan] has asked governing agencies [of the Government Procurement Act and Budget Act] to deliberate the suggestion,” Chiang said, referring to the Public Construction Commission and the Ministry of Finance, which govern the two acts, respectively.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it