President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday pledged that her administration would continue to protect the free, creative environment in Taiwan and provide resources to help local television dramas find international distribution.
Tsai made the pledge on her Facebook account following the close of the annual Golden Bell Awards the previous night.
She congratulated all the winners of the 56th Golden Bell Awards, which honored the best programs, performers and presenters in Taiwan’s TV industry from the past year.
Photo: CNA
The most awards went to the fantasy comedy-drama The Magician on the Skywalk (天橋上的魔術師), an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Taiwanese writer Wu Ming-yi (吳明益).
The show centers on the adventures of nine children in the summer of 1985, set against the backdrop of the Chunghwa Mall in Taipei. It won six awards, including best newcomer in a television program, best directing for a series and the night’s top prize, best television series.
Tsai said the award-winning show is one of many that were given financial support from the government’s Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program to support the nation’s televison shows.
Tsai also congratulated the winner of this year’s special contribution award, recently retired weather presenter Jen Li-yu (任立渝), in recognition for his nearly three-decade long television career. His award also made him the first meteorologist honored at the awards.
Tsai also mentioned the winners of the best hosts in a variety show: Jesse Tang (唐綺陽), Aaron Yan (炎亞綸) and Sandy Wu (吳姍儒), who host 36 Questions (36 題愛上你).
Tsai quoted Yan’s award acceptance speech, attributing his show’s success to the free spirit that allows Taiwan to generate a wide variety of artistic creations.
Tsai said Yan’s words reflected the voices of all Taiwanese creators, and pledged her government’s continuous support for financing local TV dramas and safeguarding Taiwan as a land of freedom, which she said is the foundation for artistic achievements.
The Golden Bell Awards were founded in 1965 to recognize and promote excellence in Taiwanese radio broadcasting. In 1970, the awards expanded to television productions.
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