Formosa Plastics Group’s (FPG) attempt to establish a new TV news channel within the Gala TV network (八大新聞台) was thwarted again yesterday after the National Communications Commission (NCC) rejected its application for the second time.
FPG became the owner of Gala TV in 2014 through the acquisition of an investment firm established by the three sons of the group’s cofounder, Wang Yung-tsai (王永在).
The NCC first turned down the network’s application to establish a new news channel in July last year after it failed to convince NCC commissioners that the proposed programming on the channel would be substantially different from those on its existing channels.
The network also failed to explain clearly how the news channel would handle issues involving environmental protection, as the group has faced criticism for the pollution its factories have created.
Gala TV refiled its application in October last year and the commission again rejected it yesterday, NCC spokesman Wong Po-tsung (翁柏宗) said.
“Gala TV failed to provide specific answers to the various issues raised in its previous application, nor did it provide details on how it plans to enforce its business plan for the news channel. The business model that the network proposed for the new channel was no different from its other news operations,” Wong said.
The network’s proposed candidates for the news channel’s board and overseer are FPG executives and the network did not clarify how it plans to handle news involving the group, he said.
Despite the rejection, Gala TVcan again file for approval, he said, adding that the commission would review it according to the law.
Gala TV said in a statement that it would not give up on its goal of providing new perspectives in journalism.
“We are not striving to profit from public opinion, nor are we trying to beautify a certain corporation. Formosa Plastics Group has greatly contributed to society and it is entitled to have its voice heard and to spread a positive message through its news channel. We will not avoid covering positive news about the group because we handle it professionally and ethically, nor will we avoid reporting negative news about the group, as we will use equally high standards to examine them,” the network said.
The Constitution protects the freedoms of speech and of the press, and Gala TV has done everything it could to find a balance between professionalism and profitability and to reconcil social and corporate values, it said.
Gala TV’s plan is to establish a news channel that can break away from the traditional model and utilize the latest communication technology, it said, adding that 30 percent of its news coverage would be international affairs.
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) was sentenced to six months in prison, commutable to a fine, by the New Taipei District Court today for contravening the Personal Data Protection Act (個人資料保護法) in a case linked to an alleged draft-dodging scheme. Wang allegedly paid NT$3.6 million (US$114,380) to an illegal group to help him evade mandatory military service through falsified medical documents, prosecutors said. He transferred the funds to Chen Chih-ming (陳志明), the alleged mastermind of a draft-evasion ring, although he lost contact with him as he was already in detention on fraud charges, they said. Chen is accused of helping a
SECURITY: Starlink owner Elon Musk has taken pro-Beijing positions, and allowing pro-China companies to control Taiwan’s critical infrastructure is risky, a legislator said Starlink was reluctant to offer services in Taiwan because of the nation’s extremely high penetration rates in 4G and 5G services, the Ministry of Digital Affairs said yesterday. The ministry made the comments at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, which reviewed amendments to Article 36 of the Telecommunications Management Act (電信管理法). Article 36 bans foreigners from holding more than 49 percent of shares in public telecommunications networks, while shares foreigners directly and indirectly hold are also capped at 60 percent of the total, unless specified otherwise by law. The amendments, sponsored by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ko
UNREASONABLE SURVEILLANCE: A camera targeted on an road by a neighbor captured a man’s habitual unsignaled turn into home, netting him dozens of tickets The Taichung High Administrative Court has canceled all 45 tickets given to a man for failing to use a turn signal while driving, as it considered long-term surveillance of his privacy more problematic than the traffic violations. The man, surnamed Tseng (曾), lives in Changhua County and was reported 45 times within a month for failing to signal while driving when he turned into the alley where his residence is. The reports were filed by his neighbor, who set up security cameras that constantly monitored not only the alley but also the door and yard of Tseng’s house. The surveillance occurred from July
‘SAME OLD TRICK’: Even if Beijing resumes individual travel to Taiwan, it would only benefit Chinese tourism companies, the Economic Democracy Union convener said China’s 10 new “incentives” are “sugar-coated poison,” an official said yesterday, adding that Taiwanese businesses see them clearly for what they are, but that Beijing would inevitably find some local collaborators to try to drums up support. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made the remark ahead of a news conference the General Chamber of Commerce is to hold today. The event, titled “Industry Perspectives on China’s Recent Pro-Taiwan Policies,” is expected to include representatives from industry associations — such as those in travel, hotels, food and agriculture — to request the government cooperate with China’s new measures, people familiar with
RSS