Lawmakers from the pan-green camp yesterday cited the need to protect democracy from fabricated news as they endorsed the National Communications Commission’s (NCC) decision not to renew the operating license of CTi News.
“Media is the fourth estate as the fourth power in a democracy and has the right to protect freedom of expression. However, this freedom must not be used to produce and circulate ‘fake’ news, which they [CTi News] have done so many times and fined by the NCC following investigations. People can look up the many cases of CTi News’ violations,” Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lin I-chin (林宜瑾) said.
“Right now Taiwan has a powerful neighboring country intending to annex us, so Taiwan must take up ‘defensive democracy,’” Lin said, referring to China. “To protect our precious freedom and democracy, we have to concede some rights.”
Photo: Chen Chien-chih, Taipei Times
“Using disinformation and ‘fake’ news to sabotage our political system is not the intended aim of the protection of the freedom of expression,” she said.
“On the contrary, not renewing the license for CTi News works for the protection of Taiwan’s freedom and democracy,” she said.
DPP Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) wrote on Facebook that the NCC’s review was based on professional media standards, which have remained the same regardless of who is in power — the DPP, or the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).
“Television network channels are public property and operating licenses are renewed after a six-year period. Its the same for every television outlet. The NCC is an independent body, with procedures and standards for its assessments, and some outlets might fail the assessments with below-par scores. The process and the result can be subjected to public scrutiny,” Wang said.
The NCC in 2010 rejected the license renewal application of ERA TV, as it had repeatedly contravened the rules by using embedded advertising, as well as other offenses.
“Now the NCC has decided not to renew the license for CTi News. It is also based on the same standards and assessment procedures. The process has not changed, and it is the same whether we have the DPP or the KMT in power,” Wang said.
Taiwan Statebuilding Party Legislator Chen Po-wei (陳柏惟) said that people have seen the background of the NCC’s decision.
There are foreign forces behind CTi News that aim to destabilize and cause strife in Taiwanese society, Chen said.
China aims to annex Taiwan, and it penetrates into the media and many other sectors of our society, he added.
“My party and I are now relieved that Taiwanese no longer have to put up with a TV news station producing and circulating ‘fake’ news with a disregard for ethics and professionalism in journalism. We are happy that people do not have to tolerate any more of CTi News’ actions to create social conflict,” he said.
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