The National Communications Commission is to hold an administrative hearing on Oct. 26 to review CtiTV News’ (中天新聞) license renewal application, the commission announced yesterday, adding that the parties and stakeholders attending the hearing are expected to answer several crucial questions.
The license of the news channel, which is widely perceived to advocate a pro-Beijing perspective, is to expire at the end of this year.
According to media regulations, the channel is required to submit its renewal application at least six months before the license expires.
UNIQUE
It would be the first time that the commission has held an administrative hearing about a license renewal application from a television news channel.
The commission said that the hearing was being held to ensure that its ruling follows all administrative procedures.
The hearing would be presided over by NCC commissioners Wang Wei-chin (王維菁) and Lin Li-yun (林麗雲), the commission said.
A document leaked from the Presidential Office in May said that Wang and Lin had been chosen by the Democratic Progressive Party administration to “handle” CtiTV News.
The channel has accumulated NT$10.73 million (US$370,511) in fines for breaching media regulations between 2015 and this year, commission data showed.
Relevant parties and stakeholders involved in CtiTV News’ license renewal application have been asked to attend the hearing in person to answer seven major questions listed by the commission.
The questions include whether the channel thoroughly completed what it had promised to do to secure its license renewal in 2014.
A second question focuses on the channel’s internal mechanism and whether it has lost control, causing the channel to frequently contravene media regulations.
A third question would seek to ascertain whether the channel’s internal mechanism can ensure that it adheres to its own ethical journalism guidelines and avoids undue influence in the production of its news programs, the commission said.
FREQUENT FINES
The commission said that it would also look to ascertain whether CtiTV News’ ethics committee and ombudsman can function effectively, and help it address frequent breaches of media regulations.
In questions four to seven, the commission would ask whether the channel’s management team can enforce its business plan, ensure its financial soundness, present diverse media content and safeguard the interests of its employees.
Attendees at the hearing would also be expected to answer whether the channel’s major shareholders would compromise the independence of its news production, and whether allowing the channel to renew its license would threaten national security and disrupt public order, the commission said.
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