Despite the controversial move, Lai Kuo-chou (
In addition, Hu Yuan-hui (
The management reshuffle took place yesterday at a meeting of TTV's shareholders. Lai and Hu both represent TTV's biggest stockholder, the Bank of Taiwan (
PHOTO: TANG CHUNG-YING, LIBERTY TIMES
Observers have long seen Lai's appointment as President Chen Shui-bian's (
"My experience in media management and my educational background in mass communications are factors that qualify me as a candidate," Lai said. "It has nothing to do with any political figures that I am associated with. After all, TTV is a publicly owned enterprise."
In addition, Lai said that TTV's shareholders from state-run banks had asked him to consider the position, not top officials from the new government.
But the Association of Taiwan Journalists (台灣新聞記者協會) has a different take on the situation.
In a statement released yesterday, the association criticized Lai's appointment and the new government's personnel arrangements, saying media autonomy had been sacrificed to satisfy Chen's political interests.
"As the former opposition party, the DPP argued that the government, political parties and the military should not interfere with the management and personnel structures of the three terrestrial TV stations," the association said.
"Lai's appointment now has nullified the new government's political ideals and promises."
Speaking to the issue of media reforms, Hu, TTV's new president, told reporters yesterday that he was determined to improve the station's professionalism while in office.
"In terms of media reforms, if TTV can achieve the goal of enhancing its professionalism, it can reclaim its golden days in Taiwan's television history," said Hu, who is highly regarded among his peers.
When asked whether TTV would undertake a chairmanship system or presidential system, Lai brushed aside reporters' concerns and said that corporate regulations would be followed. He did, however, add that better communications would be established within the company.
Thirteen other board members were also elected yesterday, including three standing board members. They were Lu Shih-Hsiang (
Two KMT representatives -- Secretary-General Lin Feng-chen (林豐正) and former secretary-general to the president, Huang Kun-hui (
Members of TTV's board are expected to attend a handover ceremony today.
Lai and Hu plan to use the ceremony as an opportunity to endorse an news autonomy agreement reached earlier with the station's news department.
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