Sun, Nov 14, 1999 page2

• Media's double standards prevent democracy: Chen

  PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS Critics say the DPP presidential candidate's harsh words for the media are poor campaign strategy and may ignite ethnic conflict

  • By Lauren Chen / STAFF REPORTER
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  DPP presidential candidate Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) lashed out at the media yesterday, saying it will criticize any of his policies and has a strong bias toward independent candidate James Soong (宋楚瑜).

  "The real crisis in Taiwanese society lies in the media's bias," Chen said yesterday at a forum on Taiwanese national affairs.

  "Maybe I have spoken some harsh words, but I said what was really on the minds of all native Taiwanese," he said.

  

  FILE PHOTO

  As long as the media's bias remains unchanged, Chen said, the establishment of a democratic Taiwanese state has a long way to go.

  But critics voiced different views regarding Chen's accusations, saying his attack on the media was not built on solid evidence. Furthermore, the critics said, Chen's speculations will likely start a war of words aimed at him.

  Chen said the media produced reports based mainly on preconceived ideas toward "some people," a reference to independent presidential candidate and KMT maverick James Soong. While the media does its best to help Soong's image, Chen said it spares no effort in attacking his own policies.

  "`Some people' have chosen native Taiwanese as their vice presidential running mates," Chen said, referring to Soong's choice of Chang Chao-hsiung (張昭雄), president of Chang Gung University, as a running partner.

  "The media gave [Soong] as much applause as he could handle. But if I picked a pro-unification mainlander to be my campaign partner, I wonder how the media would react to that?"

  Chen also urged both KMT presidential hopeful Lien Chan (連戰) and independent James Soong to clarify their positions on the issue of national identity.

  "As usual, I strongly advocate that Taiwan is an independent country and, moreover, that Taiwan is not a part of China. But I would like to ask the audience to ask if the other two rivals would dare to say so," Chen said.

  Chen asked the participants "never to be cheated by media reports."

  He also reiterated his platform on constitutional reform and the abolition of the National Assembly through referendum.

  Although other DPP faction leaders agreed with Chen's comments on media bias, they questioned the timing of the attack and the possible effects of Chen's accusation.

  "Compared to other advanced democratic countries, Taiwan has only about a decade's experiences in learning how to consolidate our democratic achievements ... the whole society could do better than it does now," said Wu Nai-jen (吳乃仁), leader of the DPP's New Trend faction.

  "Some media do have double standards, but deciding whether or not to point out this phenomenon is an extremely political question," Wu added.

  "Specifically, during the campaign season, emotion prevails over rationality. Plus, Chen is the person involved in the process. For people who don't understand what's going on, they would have a hard time accepting Chen's speech."

  Meanwhile, KMT legislator Liu Wen-hsiung (劉文雄), also a firm supporter of Soong's campaign, urged Chen to turn back the clock to the time when he himself was still Taipei's mayor.

  "In that time, Chen was doted on by the media and received massive coverage. How come he never gave any reflections on that before?" Liu said.

  Hu Yu-wei (胡幼偉), a journalism professor at National Taiwan Normal University, also joined the verbal attack against Chen's remarks and dismissed his statements as "unwise campaign strategy."

  "Chen's accusations or speculations are built on the assumption that the media would oppose his choice if he announced a mainlander to be his running mate. But Chen has never expressed this kind of intention before," Hu said.

  "Chen's charge would naturally bring more negative attacks on his campaign and ignite the potential ethnic conflict between native Taiwanese and mainlanders," Hu added.
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