Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday called on President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to scrutinize would-be buyers of Next Media Group’s Taiwanese assets and prevent potential damage to freedom of expression.
Su made the remarks at a press conference attended by all DPP lawmakers.
Next Media, founded by Hong Kong media magnate Jimmy Lai (黎智英), began operating in Taiwan in 2003. The company said it would sell its Taiwanese print and television businesses on Oct. 1 because of reported losses of more than NT$10 billion (US$340 million) in the television sector.
The consortium, led by ChinaTrust Charity Foundation chairman Jeffrey Koo Jr (辜仲諒) is expected to sign a deal with Next Media today to buy the Apple Daily, Next Magazine, Sharp Daily and Next TV for NT$17.5 billion, according to a letter of intent the group signed with the would-be buyers on Oct. 15.
One of the parties in the deal is Want Want China Times Group (旺旺中時集團) chairman Tsai Eng-meng (蔡衍明), who has extensive business holdings in China and owns the China Times.
Some fear that Tsai’s group will become a behemoth dominating Taiwan’s media landscape if the deal goes through.
Su said the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) used political power in the past to suppress freedom of expression and is again using its political power to try to curtail press freedom and freedom of information by collaborating with the consortium.
He demanded that the Fair Trade Commission, Financial Supervisory Commission, and National Communications Commissions adopt strict guidelines in reviewing the case.
Su said that the DPP caucus will present proposals to amend the Radio and Television Act (廣播電視法), the Cable Television Act (有線電視法) and the Satellite Broadcasting Act (衛星廣播電視法) in a bid to prevent a media monopoly.
Additional reporting by CNA
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
RSS