The Council of Indigenous Peoples held a public hearing on Sept. 5 to discuss Taiwan Indigenous Television’s (TITV) future policy and operations. It was an extraordinarily significant event, especially because it was the first time that the government had invited Aborigines, academics and experts to hold a public discussion on the matter. During the hearing it was apparent that there was unanimous support for the Indigenous People’s Cultural Foundation taking over TITV to ensure the broadcasting rights of Aborigines.
Since TITV’s establishment in 2004, Aborigines were never granted the right to run the station; instead, that right was first bestowed on Taiwan Television (TTV) and subsequently transferred to Eastern Broadcasting Co (ETTV) and then Public Television Service (PTS). Making a profit is the essence of commercial media, so they cannot be expected to provide cultural services for ethnic groups. Letting PTS run TITV seems to follow the ideals of equality and the standards that are sought within the public sphere, but it actually runs counter to the way in which Aborigines would like to represent themselves.
According to journalism professor Chang Chin-hua (張錦華), a multiculturalist point of view emphasizes the identities and differences between ethnic groups, as well as guarantees that disadvantaged groups can actively participate in society. Chang adds that this is far more important than the independently objective values of a democracy or liberalism. Thus, if Aborigines are not allowed to run TITV and are denied the right to broadcast and produce programs of their own, then talking about the transmission of cultures or respecting people’s place in society is simply idle talk.
During the public hearing, independent film producer Laway and Aboriginal singer/songwriter Suming both voiced their desire to have Aborigines run TITV. They added that the station should have more links with people working in the culture and creative industries so that it serves as a platform for Aborigines to further develop these industries.
When the Indigenous People’s Cultural Foundation was established two years ago in an effort to organize Aboriginal broadcast media so that Aborigines could run their own TV station, it was a profound realization of just how important it is to revive indigenous languages and cultures and allow Aborigines the right to broadcast on their own. This is the foundation’s main mission and it has already completed a proposal for Aborigines to run an Aboriginal TV station. The foundation expects that TITV will be granted its television station license at the beginning of next year and has established strategic cooperation with PTS to manifest a suitable outlet to express Aboriginal identity. However, what the foundation needs most is for the government to actively provide assistance, which includes helping it obtain a channel, applying for a license, increasing financial support, establishing a station and training producers and technical personnel.
With its multicultural policies, the Australian government actively protects and promotes the broadcasting rights of Aborigines. The foundation hopes that a similar cultural revival and guarantee for the rights of Aborigines to broadcast are given the utmost priority at TITV. As for the bureaucratic issues, we must move forward one step at a time. Moreover, doubts about whether every single detail is accounted for must not be used as an excuse for procrastinating. Otherwise, all of this talk about giving Aborigines an appropriate space to express themselves is a bunch of prattle.
Hung Ching-yi is chairman of the Indigenous People’s Cultural Foundation and a professor at National Dong Hwa University.
Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) were born under the sign of Gemini. Geminis are known for their intelligence, creativity, adaptability and flexibility. It is unlikely, then, that the trade conflict between the US and China would escalate into a catastrophic collision. It is more probable that both sides would seek a way to de-escalate, paving the way for a Trump-Xi summit that allows the global economy some breathing room. Practically speaking, China and the US have vulnerabilities, and a prolonged trade war would be damaging for both. In the US, the electoral system means that public opinion
They did it again. For the whole world to see: an image of a Taiwan flag crushed by an industrial press, and the horrifying warning that “it’s closer than you think.” All with the seal of authenticity that only a reputable international media outlet can give. The Economist turned what looks like a pastiche of a poster for a grim horror movie into a truth everyone can digest, accept, and use to support exactly the opinion China wants you to have: It is over and done, Taiwan is doomed. Four years after inaccurately naming Taiwan the most dangerous place on
In their recent op-ed “Trump Should Rein In Taiwan” in Foreign Policy magazine, Christopher Chivvis and Stephen Wertheim argued that the US should pressure President William Lai (賴清德) to “tone it down” to de-escalate tensions in the Taiwan Strait — as if Taiwan’s words are more of a threat to peace than Beijing’s actions. It is an old argument dressed up in new concern: that Washington must rein in Taipei to avoid war. However, this narrative gets it backward. Taiwan is not the problem; China is. Calls for a so-called “grand bargain” with Beijing — where the US pressures Taiwan into concessions
Wherever one looks, the United States is ceding ground to China. From foreign aid to foreign trade, and from reorganizations to organizational guidance, the Trump administration has embarked on a stunning effort to hobble itself in grappling with what his own secretary of state calls “the most potent and dangerous near-peer adversary this nation has ever confronted.” The problems start at the Department of State. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has asserted that “it’s not normal for the world to simply have a unipolar power” and that the world has returned to multipolarity, with “multi-great powers in different parts of the
RSS