Amid allegations that the Govern-ment Information Office (GIO) had meddled in the selection process for the new chairman of the Public Television Service (PTS), Louis Chen (陳春山), a law professor and attorney at law, was elected to take the helm at the independent body yesterday.
GIO Director-General Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) described the selection process as "a competition of gentlemen" and pledged to cooperate with the PTS to push for digitization of the media industry, as well as the integration of several TV stations into a big public television network.
"The allegation that we interfere in the election process is malicious and erroneous," Lin told reporters after yesterday's ceremony to inaugurate the new PTS chairman.
"I'm calling on the media to exercise prudence in their reporting and to use correct information," Lin said.
Speculation has been rife that the GIO tampered with the selection process and maneuvered to eliminate Weng Hsiu-chi (翁秀琪), the director of National Chengchi University's School of Mass Communication, in favor of Chen, a financial law expert.
Media reports have quoted anonymous board members as saying that they would resign en masse if Chen becomes the new PTS chairman, because they did not think he was qualified.
"It's impossible for us to exercise political pressure to sway [board members'] decisions, because each and every one of them has his or her own expertise and way of thinking," Lin said.
He also came to Chen's defense, saying that only time will tell whether or not he is fit for the job.
"Although he's not a media expert, he has participated in several of our media reform projects in the past," he said.
Chen, 43, received his PhD in law from the University of Ottawa, and is an attorney at the law firm of Chen & Associates. He also teaches finance law at National Taipei University. He is a former member of the GIO's radio station review committee.
Former chairman Wu Feng-shan (
"Over the past six years, during my stint, it was quite fortunate that the former two presidents, four premiers, seven GIO chiefs and all political leaders respected the spirit of independent operation outlined in the Public Television Law (公共電視法)," he said.
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