The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday approved Kbro Co’s application to replace the home shopping channels of Eastern Home Shopping and Leisure Co (EHS) with those owned by U-Life.
U-Life general manager Li Deng-ke (李登科) said he was glad the commissioners could reach a fair and just ruling on the case, adding that U-Life will inform viewers about the change in home shopping channels soon. He said that viewers would be able to watch U-life’s home shopping channels on the cable services owned by Kbro next month.
The feud between two shopping networks began in 2010 when 28 cable TV services around the nation unexpectedly replaced EHS’ channels with those of U-life. The NCC fined each cable service NT$700,000 (US$23,200) for violating the Cable Television Act (有線電視法) and required them to resume the broadcast of EHS’ channels.
The two shopping networks continued their verbal attacks against one another until U-life signed a contract with Kbro to go on air earlier this year.
Meanwhile, EHS’ request that the NCC intervene in the dispute was rejected.
Kbro had to first apply for a change in its channel lineup in order to broadcast U-life’s channels and the NCC had to approve the switch. The commission spent six months reviewing the case.
U-life accused Commissioner Weng Hsiao-ling (翁曉玲) of stalling the review and granting special favors to EHS, which he denied, filing suit against U-life.
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