Pledging to continue the crackdown on underground radio stations before legalizing them, the Government Information Office (GIO) is expected to unveil a concrete measure next week regarding the legalization of underground radio stations and complete the process by the end of next year.
There are 93 underground radio stations. The GIO is accepting illegal radio stations' applications starting Oct. 1.
"In addition to helping underground radio stations become legal, we won't hesitate to continue the crackdown on illegal radio stations," GIO Director-General Lin Chia-lung (
Likening underground broadcasters to "illegal street vendors," Lin said that the measure is aimed at restructuring the order of the radio industry and creating a win-win situation for both underground radio stations and legal ones.
"Instead of letting street vendors roam the streets and affect the business of regular stores, we thought it would be a better idea to assign a special zone for them, where they can play by the rules and be better regulated," Lin said.
"If successfully implemented, a similar measure will not only safeguard the interest of legal radio stations, but also help the formerly illegal ones upgrade their competitive edge," Lin said.
Under the GIO's plan, two hertzes of the radio frequencies between 88hz to 108hz would be set aside for underground radio stations.
To better manage radio stations, Lin said that the GIO plans to separate radio stations with high, medium and low transmit powers into three different frequency categories.
While the transmission radius of a high transmit power radio station covers the entire nation, that of a medium transmit power station is 20km and low transmit power 10km to 15km.
Currently, radio stations with a high-powered transmitter are state-owned such as Police Radio Station and Voice of Han Broadcasting Network.
Radio stations with medium transmission power are privately owned either for commercial purposes or public service. Those with low transmission power include school experiment radio stations or underground radio stations.
Responding to the criticism that it was inappropriate for GIO to make such a major policy decision before it is dissolved and transfers its responsibilities to the proposed national communication council (NCC), Lin said that the criticism sounded "short-sighted."
"So are they saying that we don't have to do anything before the government restructuring project is complete?" Lin asked. "As civil servants, it'd be dereliction of duty if we didn't do anything and continue to push for reforms."
The Cabinet approved two draft amendments in September last year aimed at abolishing the Government Information Office (GIO) and laying the foundation for its successor, the National Communications Commission (NCC).
If approved by the legislature, the commission would be an independent entity and the sole supervisory body of the telecommunications and media industries.
Cabinet Spokesman Chen Chi-mai (
"My station was raided for three or four times and equipments confiscated during the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) era," he said. "Speaking from my personal experience, it's definitely the right way to go to liberate more radio frequencies."
KMT Spokesman Alex Tsai (蔡正元), however, questioned the GIO's move, which he claimed was aimed at cracking down on radio stations with a pro-unification tinge.
"I'm calling on the GIO head to push for the proposed NCC not to become a hitman for the ruling party," he said.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and