The Taiwan agents of the popular cable TV channel HBO announced a plan yesterday to avoid further uproar among TV viewers, while uneasy negotiations continued between cable TV operators and channel agents for license renewals.
Representatives from TV Time Entertainment Networks, Inc (
HBO's current license expires on Jan. 8.
Tu Teh-yen (
The company may also consider running commercials on the HBO channel to cut prices and make negotiations easier, said Wu Chih-ching (
Meanwhile, Chao made an appeal to the public to give him some more time to work out solutions.
Chao, a former CEO of two local cable TV stations, has come under criticism for his perceived inability to effectively handle the dispute, seen as due largely to his long-term involvement in the electronic media business before his appointment as GIO chief a month ago.
A report in the chinese-language press said yesterday that Chao, former CEO of Global TV (
Meanwhile, local governments yesterday continued to talk tough to cable TV operators that shifted or stopped broadcasting certain channels.
Kaohsiung City Government's Department of Information issued an ultimatum yesterday to local cable TV firm Tahsin (大信) to resume broadcasting or face a NT$500,000 fine. In Taipei County, the county government slapped NT$100,000 fines on two cable TV operators in Hsintien and Sanchung cities.
Meanwhile, officials from the Fair Trade Commission said they had arrived at an initial conclusion that joint sales operations by some cable TV firms in central and southern Taiwan violate the Fair Trade Law.
About 80 percent of Taiwan's cable TV market is controlled by two conglomerates, Eastern Multimedia and United Communications. The annual price wars between the two groups and independent channel agents, and the resulting channel shifts and suspensions, have now become a yearly ritual across Taiwan.
Since the early 1990s, the number of cable companies nationwide has shrunk from 600 to the current level of about 70.
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck off the coast of Yilan County at 12:37pm today, with clear shaking felt across much of northern Taiwan. There were no immediate reports of damage. The epicenter of the quake was 16.9km east-southeast of Yilan County Hall offshore at a depth of 66.8km, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. The maximum intensity registered at a 4 in Yilan County’s Nanao Township (南澳) on Taiwan’s seven-tier scale. Other parts of Yilan, as well as certain areas of Hualien County, Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Hsinchu County, Taichung and Miaoli County, recorded intensities of 3. Residents of Yilan County and Taipei received
Taiwan has secured another breakthrough in fruit exports, with jujubes, dragon fruit and lychees approved for shipment to the EU, the Ministry of Agriculture said yesterday. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency on Thursday received formal notification of the approval from the EU, the ministry said, adding that the decision was expected to expand Taiwanese fruit producers’ access to high-end European markets. Taiwan exported 126 tonnes of lychees last year, valued at US$1.48 million, with Japan accounting for 102 tonnes. Other export destinations included New Zealand, Hong Kong, the US and Australia, ministry data showed. Jujube exports totaled 103 tonnes, valued at
BIG SPENDERS: Foreign investors bought the most Taiwan equities since 2005, signaling confidence that an AI boom would continue to benefit chipmakers Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s (TSMC, 台積電) market capitalization swelled to US$2 trillion for the first time following a 4.25 percent rally in its American depositary receipts (ADR) overnight, putting the world’s biggest contract chipmaker sixth on the list of the world’s biggest companies by market capitalization, just behind Amazon.com Inc. The site CompaniesMarketcap.com ranked TSMC ahead of Saudi Aramco and Meta Platforms Inc. The Taiwanese company’s ADRs on Tuesday surged to US$385.75 on the New York Stock Exchange, as strong demand for artificial intelligence (AI) applications led to chip supply constraints and boost revenue growth to record-breaking levels. Each TSMC ADR represents
TRUST: The KMT said it respected the US’ timing and considerations, and hoped it would continue to honor its commitments to helping Taiwan bolster its defenses and deterrence US President Donald Trump is delaying a multibillion-dollar arms sale to Taiwan to ensure his visit to Beijing is successful, a New York Times report said. The weapons sales package has stalled in the US Department of State, the report said, citing US officials it did not identify. The White House has told agencies not to push forward ahead of Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), it said. The two last month held a phone call to discuss trade and geopolitical flashpoints ahead of the summit. Xi raised the Taiwan issue and urged the US to handle arms sales to
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