A legislative amendment that calls for the increased broadcasting of local TV dramas in place of Korean TV dramas is an important step in rebuilding Taiwan’s own cultural identity, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lin Shu-fen (林淑芬) said.
“The purpose of the proposal that I recently forwarded to the legislature actually takes aim at the Taiwanese government and local cable TV operators,” Lin said.
“I don’t mean to stir up resentment against South Korean TV dramas, which are extremely popular here,” she added. “I simply contend that local cable TV stations should assume responsibility for promoting Taiwanese culture instead of feeding the public cheap imports from South Korea.”
Lin’s proposed amendment stipulates that the nation’s cable TV operators must increase the ratio of locally produced TV dramas they air to at least 40 percent — which would be double the current level.
Lin made her remarks in response to expressions of concern from South Korea over the proposals as well as local media outlets and TV stations that said any such action could hurt their ratings.
The proposed amendment to the Cable Television Act (有線廣播電視法) will be taken up by lawmakers in the legislature’s Transportation Committee during the next legislative session which is scheduled to begin on Feb. 22.
“It is by no means a battle against South Korean pop culture,” Lin said.
DPP Legislator Tsai Huang--liang (蔡煌瑯) said he was surprised to hear that the South Korean government had expressed concern over the matter, even though the proposed amendment had not yet been discussed by the legislature.
“It goes to show how protective the South Korean government is of its cultural industry,” he said.
“In view of the South Korean government’s reaction, the Taiwanese government, by contrast, should be ashamed,” he added.
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