The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday approved Mirror Media’s application to establish Mirror News (鏡電視) after reviewing the case for more than two years, provided it strictly follows 26 obligations and conditions set by the commission.
It is the first TV news license that the broadcast media regulator has issued in nearly 10 years.
Mirror Media said in a statement that it welcomed the decision and respects the conditions set by the NCC, as it aims to produce quality and diverse news content as stated in its business plan.
Photo: CNA
NCC Vice Chairman and spokesman Wong Po-tsung (翁柏宗) said that the approval came with 12 attached obligations and 14 conditions under which the commission’s ruling could be invalidated.
In addition, the commission listed 16 other items as “administrative guidance” to be implemented to oversee the operation of Mirror News, he said.
A majority of the obligations and conditions are already stated in Mirror News’ business plan, Department of Broadcasting and Content Affairs Director-General Huang Wen-che (黃文哲) said.
“NCC commissioners added only two other conditions: First, the news channel must not accept direct or indirect instructions, investments or sponsorships from any foreign influence against Taiwan, as stipulated in the Anti-Infiltration Act (反滲透法). Second, any interactions that the news channel would have with the Chinese government and its people should be within boundaries set by the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (台灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例),” Huang said.
According to the commission’s ruling, the news channel pledged to maintain a clear separation between the ownership and management, and follow journalism guidelines in producing quality and diverse news quality.
It also pledged to increase the number of staff in the news department to at least 450 within three months after the channel starts broadcasting on cable. It further promised not to share the use of personnel with other media outlets in the Mirror Media group.
Mirror TV is also committed to airing daily one hour of art and entertainment news and two hours of Taiwanese-language news. It is to broadcast two to four hours of news concerning children and teenagers per week.
In addition, the news channel plans to budget at least NT$50 million (US$1.8 million) per year in the production and broadcast of international news, and to have foreign correspondents stationed in Europe and the US, the NCC said.
International news is to account for 15 percent of the channel’s daily news content, the commission said, adding that the channel is to air a one-hour program per day on international news features.
Half of the channel’s board members must be non-shareholders, it said, adding that personnel representing Mirror Media must neither serve on the channel’s board nor be part of its management.
Each shareholder must limit their stake in the channel to not more than 15 percent, it said.
The channel must also increase its registered capital from about NT$1.35 billion to NT$2 billion within three months after receiving its license. The license is valid for six years, and the channel is to start broadcasting on cable three to six months after obtaining its license.
The ruling was not unanimously supported by all seven commissioners, with two of them preparing to write a letter of dissent, a source told the Taipei Times.
The two commissioners said the channel offers content that is no different from that of other cable news channels and questioned whether it has sustainable funding to produce quality news as it promised, the source said.
“Although Taiwan has many news channels, the fierce competition has brought nothing but similar content and low-quality products. News channels fail to generate sufficient profits to sustain themselves and rely largely on income from doing government-funded projects. In the long run, this would compromise the independence of journalism and affect society and democracy in Taiwan,” they said.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄), which earlier this week became the first Taiwanese novel to win the International Booker Prize, is to be adapted into a television series through a Taiwan-Japan coproduction, producer Chang Chen-yu (張辰漁) said yesterday. Chang, a producer at World Softest Production Film Co, wrote on Facebook that the company had been searching for projects with international appeal that retain a strong Taiwanese identity after colleagues and Japanese partners strongly recommended the novel. After reading the book, Chang said he immediately decided to pursue the screen rights. “A great story has the power to transcend time and borders, and connect countless people,”
RSS