Three Public Television Service (PTS) executives, including the president, yesterday resigned after a controversial plan was passed at a board meeting.
The “international digital communication project” passed by 11-4 at an extraordinary session that reportedly lasted nearly three-and-a-half hours.
PTS president Tsao Wen-chieh (曹文傑), executive vice president Hsieh Tsui-yu (謝翠玉) and news department manager Su Chi-chen (蘇啟禎) tendered their resignations after the vote.
Photo: Chen Yu-hsun, Taipei Times
After Minister of Culture Lee Yung-te (李永得) on Tuesday last week confirmed that PTS was planning the project, there had been rumors that the project had not been approved by the PTS board of directors.
PTS last month submitted a request for funding from the ministry, with NT$45 million (US$1.53 million) earmarked for the pilot project.
As part of the project, an English-language “international video platform” is to be created in January next year.
Besides news, the platform is expected to provide content highlighting Taiwanese tourism, cuisine, ecological landscape, arts and humanities.
A four-year project with annual funding of NT$1 billion was proposed.
However, at a board meeting on July 16, several board members reportedly questioned why the project had not been reviewed by the board, and accused the central government of “reaching its hands” into the public broadcasting system.
Speaking after yesterday’s meeting, board member Feng Hsiao-fei (馮小非) said the international platform would involve a wide range of issues, adding that more public discussion is needed.
She asked “how big were the forces” involved to let the proposal pass, despite the resignation of senior officials.
National Chengchi University College of Communication professor Cheng Tzu-leong (鄭自隆), a board member who voted against the project, likened the origin of the project to propaganda.
It should not be conducted by PTS, due to its status as a public media organization independent from the government, Cheng said.
The ministry said that it respected the board’s resolution.
With the hard work of the PTS management and employees, it has established its brand and reputation, and earned the public’s trust, which is why it was the government’s top choice when promoting the platform, the ministry said.
However, this was twisted to mean that the government was seizing the service, it said.
Additional reporting by CNA and Sherry Hsiao
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