The outcome of the Dec. 1 elections surprised most election experts. The surprises included the DPP becoming the largest party in the legislature and the defeat of many candidates who had apparently maintained a favorable public image. In retrospect, however, the news media and public opinion polls have emerged as the biggest losers in the elections.
The hypocritical coverage by the so-called "mainstream" media and their hype over a few particular candidates, as well as bogus opinion polls, were the biggest reasons behind the surprises of Dec. 1. The outcome has clearly shown how irresponsible and unreliable Taiwan's media can be.
It can also be said that the surprising election results were a forceful counterblow from voters tired of the media's vicious manipulations. Voters were repulsed by the degeneration of the nation's media.
Being part of the Taiwan media, we find this degeneration deplorable and shameful.
Even though we have only a small readership, we have spared no effort in our pursuit of journalistic professionalism and ethical standards, as well as in our monitoring of other media institutions regarding their ethics and discipline.
Naturally, we have minced no words in condemning the immoral and unprofessional behavior other media institutions have exhibited.
As early as two years ago (Dec. 15, 1999), we published strong criticism of reporters writing biographies of practicing politicians while continuing to cover them in the news. This amounts to the selling of their souls and professional consciences. Some of those reporters even serve as spokespersons or mouthpieces for politicians, and use their media reports to cover up the politicians' illicit pursuit of personal wealth. This is incompatible with journalistic professionalism and violates reporting ethics.
At the time, our criticism drew the attention of the reporters involved and caused them to exercise restraint for fear of becoming the butt of international ridicule. However, the inadequate training of reporters, as manifested in the coverage of various news events, has continued to dog the nation's media. In fact, with the trends of democratization and liberalization in Taiwanese society, the problem has become worse.
In the past, reporters were occasionally criticized for erratic behavior.
Another tactic of unprofessional journalists is to defend abuses of press freedom by taking recourse in the "readers' right to know." As we have seen recently, this has aroused the angst of our entire society.
In the recent sex-VCD scandal, suspect Kuo Yu-ling (
Through such behavior, the reporter has set a diabolical precedent for the nation's media. Exposing the content of a criminal investigation is also an obvious violation of journalistic professionalism.
The behavior of such reporters is no different from a pimp soliciting customers for whores. The basic dignity of a journalist is nowhere to be found in them. How to establish self-discipline is a very urgent question facing Taiwan's media institutions as their credibility becomes increasingly suspect.
Today, Taiwan's pathological media environment and culture needs everyone's attention and correction. If reporters violate the law, they should be given heavy punishments. In fact, the current economic slowdown can be a blessing in disguise for Taiwan's media if it can weed out some of the nation's more unprofessional media institutions.
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