Sat, Jan 29, 2005 page8

• Lin better at planning than action

  • By Kuan Chung-hsiang and Wei Ti 管中祥，魏玓
  • • 
    • 
    • 

  Among the Cabinet members led by former premier Yu Shyi-kun, who resigned on Jan. 24, director of the Government Information Office (GIO) Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), who has been in office for the shortest time, has been the most widely discussed. Since taking office on May 20 last year, Lin repeatedly raised several major reform issues. Although his brash manner might have led to hostility from opposition parties, Lin established a reputation of being willing to take on tough issues.

  From the standpoint of media reform groups, Lin is believed to be the most proactive director in the GIO's history. Lin's many major policies include expanding the number of public broadcasting and television groups, re-mapping radio spectrum bands, reviving the nation's film industry and, most recently, readjusting cable TV channels. Have these policies had the expected results? Are there flaws in these plans? Did words and actions coincide? To all these questions, there is still room for review and comment.

  Immediately after taking office, Lin introduced his policy blueprint to create public broadcasting and television groups with the vitality of private enterprise. This plan reflected the thinking of private media reform groups, and it was generally regarded as a key to improving Taiwan's appalling media environment.

  The policies that Lin promised were widely acclaimed, and have helped establish his reputation for reform. But if these policies are to become effective, auxiliary measures will also be required for immediate implementation. This will include passing related legislation, establishing sources of income for public broadcasting groups and reorganizing and distributing the functions of media channels.

  More than half a year after taking office, Lin has exerted no effort in lobbying the legislature, nor has he formulated clear and practical supporting measures. All he has achieved so far is taking the ambiguous terrestrial television public shares management statute to the legislature. With the imminent inauguration of the new legislature imminent, Lin is on the brink of breaking his promises.

  Last month, the GIO published a white paper entitled Policy and Vision for the Nation's Film Industry, a proposal which is not much different from ones already made by academics and experts to save the nation's deteriorating film industry. Some of suggestions are just a continuation of current policy.

  In fact, the problem plaguing the nation's film industry is the lack of consistency in policy implementation. In this regard, we would do well to learn from South Korea and France, who have set up government-funded institutes to take charge of the development of the film industry. Unfortunately, the GIO does not have any similar plans to set up an organization of a similar nature.

  On the other hand, the GIO remains reluctant to act on key but sensitive issues such as securing the screening quotas for local films and the levying of a special tax on foreign films. The only difference from the past is that the GIO has repackaged policies that are actually little different from the old ones.

  The GIO has clearly focused more attention on regrouping and rearranging radio stations and cable TV channels. Last August, the GIO announced that it would rearrange the radio stations in accordance with program characteristics and streamline the license application procedures.

  Although the method the GIO adopted is convenient for managing the radio stations and for audiences as well, it has done little to counter increased homogeneity of program content and emerging monopolistic tendencies in the industry. To restore order to the radio industry, we must go to the root of the problem.

  Since martial law was lifted in 1987, the government has adopted a free market policy without any overall plan. This has led to cut-throat competition in the radio broadcast sector. It is common now for low and mid-power radio stations to broadcast programs from larger stations, or to become linked to political or private financial interests, so they are no longer able to achieve their goal of meeting the needs of a local community or ethnic group.

  Therefore, the rearrangement of radio stations has to be based on the redistribution of broadcasting resources. The government may grant special licenses or funds to maintain the development of public radio stations representing minority groups. If it focuses only on across-the-board deregulation of the sector, it is likely that newly established stations will become nothing more than transmission centers for established stations.

  Similar problems have also occurred in the management of cable TV channels. On Jan. 1, the GIO rearranged and regrouped all the cable TV channels into several sections and defined the first 25 channels as family-oriented ones aiming to promote public welfare. This policy helps compel TV stations to broadcast programs according to the GIO's criteria.

  However, it does not resolve problems such as program similarity, high levels of sex and violence, monopolization of the sector, and the lack of easily accessible local programming.

  On the whole, Lin, as the GIO chief, has put much more effort into planning than into execution. He focused far more attention on restricting publications -- clamping down on inappropriate programs and advertisements -- than on overhauling the media industry's structure. The policies Lin put forward are mostly in line with public and academic opinion and can therefore be considered "politically correct."

  But strictly speaking, these policies are simply ploys to create a good impression, and Lin has been weak in promoting substantive policy implementation. What made Lin different from his predecessors is that he is aware of current trends and is able to utilize public support to highlight his image as a progressive chief of the GIO.

  But as a government official, fancy policies are not enough. These things have to be worked at assiduously, and Lin should make a personal effort to resolve community and political obstruction. After taking this into account, Lin does not seem much different from his predecessors.

  Kuang Chung-hsiang is an assistant professor in the department of radio, television and film of Shih Hsin University. Wei Ti is an assistant professor of mass communications at Tamkang University.

  TRANSLATED BY LIN YA-TI AND DANIEL CHENG
• Most Popular

  • 1

    Napoli’s title hopes shaken by late Genoa equalizer

  • 2

    Privately owned city in Kenya taking on corrupt officials

  • 3

    MOE to encourage foreigners to work in Taiwan

  • 4

    Kane tastes first title as Bayern bid farewell to Mueller

  • 5

    Former president Tsai departs for Lithuania