On Wednesday, the legislature’s Transportation Committee is scheduled to review the qualifications of three National Communications Commission (NCC) nominees, who have backgrounds in economics, telecommunications and mass media.
Under the National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法), seven commissioners are to be appointed to the government agency.
The commissioners are nominated by the premier and appointed with the consent of the Legislative Yuan.
The premier also appoints one commissioner to serve as the commission’s chairperson and another one as vice chairperson.
Commissioners serve a four-year term and may be reappointed to serve a consecutive term.
Currently, the commission consists of six members, including Chairperson Howard Shyr (石世豪), Vice Chairperson Yu Hsiao-cheng (虞孝成), as well as commissioners Chiang Yu-fen (江幽芬), Peng Shin-yi (彭心儀), Liu Chorng-jian (劉崇堅) and Wei Shyue-win (魏學文).
Previously, the Executive Yuan had nominated former Taiwan Television News anchorwoman Wang Yung-ho (汪用和) for the vacancy in the commission, but her qualification review failed to secure the approval of the Legislative Yuan.
The vacancy was not filled after Wang’s appointment was rejected.
Liu and Wei are scheduled to step down at the end of July after serving two full terms.
As such, the Executive Yuan must select three nominees for the commission and has picked Tu Jenn-hwa (杜震華), Wong Po-tsung (翁柏宗) and Katherine Chen (陳憶寧).
Tu is the director of the commercial development and policy at the Commerce Development Research Institute.
Wong is the commission’s secretary-general and has served in various positions at the Directorate-General of Telecommunications before the agency was reorganized and became the commission.
Neither Tu nor Wong are affiliated with any political party, while Chen is a member of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).
Currently, she is an advertising professor and associate dean of the College of Communications at National Chengchi University.
Once the appointments are approved, the commissioners are to serve from Aug. 1 to July 31, 2018.
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