Combating ticket scalpers
Singer Jay Chou (周杰倫) is set to be the first artist to hold concerts at the Taipei Dome. While the 160,000 tickets for the four shows have yet to go on sale, scalped tickets are already available for as much as NT$60,000 apiece, nearly 10 times the original price.
Although Chou’s agency is urging fans to only purchase tickets through official channels, the effectiveness of that call might be limited. It should take more active measures, such as implementing a “real-name system” for ticket sales to curb scalping.
A real-name system means that the name on a ticket and the name on the ticket holder’s identification must be the same to enter the venue. If the ticket holder is unable to attend the event, they would not be allowed to resell the ticket or give it to someone else. Instead, they can apply for a refund within a time limit, and the ticket would be resold at the original price.
To combat ticket scalping, the Ministry of Culture has set heavy penalties under the Development of the Cultural and Creative Industries Act (文化創意產業發展法), which states that if a ticket is resold for more than its face value or the fixed price of the ticket, the reseller would be subject to a fine of 10 to 50 times the ticket’s face value.
In other words, if someone is found guilty of reselling a NT$6,880 ticket for NT$6,881, they could be fined at least NT$68,800. If the price is raised more than fivefold, they would face a fine of up to 50 times the face value, which would be as much as NT$344,000. That is more severe than the NT$30,000 to NT$120,000 fine for driving under the influence of alcohol.
As fans might be unfamiliar with the law, the adoption of a real-name system could not only prevent them from being cheated, but also help them avoid the legal risk of reselling tickets at higher prices.
What is worrying is that the person who reports such an offense could receive 20 percent of the fine, so some naive fans could fall into another scam if they are not careful.
To block ticket scalping, the Ministry of Culture created the “subsidy operation key points for encouraging the implementation of real-name tickets for live pop music performances.” Agencies can apply for subsidies by implementing a real-name system — such as to pay for temporary labor costs and equipment rental expenses — to largely reduce the cost of implementation.
With Chou’s fans complaining that scalpers would snap up all the tickets and get rich at their expense, why does his agency not announce that it would adopt a real-name system to protect his fans? That would not only encourage fans to purchase tickets through official channels, but would also help prevent scalping and fraud, while setting a good example as the first concert at Taipei Dome. Would the agency not also be happy to do it?
Yeh Yu-chin
Taipei
Celebrating those who listen
Since I was little, I had to endure being raised by a traditionally minded mother. I had few thoughts that were my own and after I entered junior and senior-high school, the blank canvas of my mind was flooded with new imagery and knowledge of all sorts. I realized some adults were just simply wrong in their thinking, and I began fighting more with my mother.
I was fortunate that my senior-high school homeroom teacher was perceptive, kindhearted and understood when to reach out to console others. I would confide in her all of the things I felt I could not tell anyone else. In turn, she was always able to strike to the heart of the matter, using kindness and understanding to help me find an answer and to encourage me. This helped me find a light at the end of the tunnel.
My classmates loathed writing weekly personal reports. I seemed to be the only one who enjoyed writing them and handing them in to the teacher. During my troubled teenage years, our homeroom teacher was so clearheaded. Under her warmhearted guidance and caring, my feelings of depression and despair dissipated, helping me to emerge from my despondency.
I still keep in touch with her, and as long as her eyes run across my words in the newspaper, my voice comes clear off the page as if I were right in front of her. Pleased, she said: “I’m so happy for all your growth and successes. There are still some things I can learn from you.”
Saturday was Teachers’ Day. I want to extend my best wishes and joy to my homeroom teacher and to those near and dear who taught me to succeed.
Hung Chin-fung
Taipei
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