Mirror News’ ability to raise its registered capital and start broadcasting on cable systems by the middle of May would be the focus of the National Communications Commission’s (NCC) review of the channel’s proposed management change, NCC Chairman Chen Yaw-shyang (陳耀祥) told lawmakers at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee yesterday.
The channel on Jan. 19 obtained a satellite broadcasting license after a two-year review by the commission.
However, the commission on Wednesday received the channel’s application for a management change after a board meeting on March 4.
Photo: CNA
Local media reported that Mirror News chairman Chen Jian-ping (陳建平) was removed from his post following an allegation that he had interfered in the operations of the news department.
Paper Windmill Theater Troupe founder Lee Yung-feng (李永豐) was elected the new board chairman, while former Formosa TV vice president Paul Tsai (蔡滄波) was elected the new general manager.
The board meeting was reported to have lasted only five minutes.
Chen Yaw-shyang was invited to brief the lawmakers on the committee about the NCC’s budget plan for this year and its preliminary investigation into controversies over the management shuffle at Mirror News.
He told lawmakers that he was “shocked” by the news, adding that he immediately asked NCC staff to verify the information.
“Our understanding was that the controversies occurred due to disagreements among large shareholders over the channel’s funding and personnel arrangements. This would have been an internal corporate management issue, but unfortunately it has evolved into a political issue through media coverage,” he said.
Chen Yaw-shyang said his main concerns are whether the channel can begin broadcasting on cable systems by the middle of May as planned and whether it can raise its registered capital from NT$1.35 billion to NT$2 billion (US$47.3 million to US$70 million) by then, two of the 26 obligations and conditions that the channel must follow to secure the license.
NCC commissioners Lin Li-yun (林麗雲) and Wang Wei-ching (王維菁) on Feb. 8 published a joint letter of dissent over the issue, saying they have severe doubts over the channel’s funding plan.
The channel told the commission that about 30 percent of its annual revenue would come from producing special news coverage for government agencies, but it was unclear who controls the channel, they said.
“We respect the two commissioners who expressed different opinions about the case,” Chen Yaw-shyang said, when lawmakers asked him about the dissent.
The commission’s preliminary investigation showed that there were no mass layoffs at the channel, he said.
“The application to establish the Mirror News channel was originally filed by the team at Mirror Magazine. As the channel and the magazine were asked to be run as separate firms, certain employees were listed on the payroll of Mirror Magazine again,” he added.
The commission has asked the channel’s ombudsman, retired National Chengchi University journalism professor Weng Shieu-chi (翁秀琪), to conduct an internal investigation into the controversies, NCC Department of Broadcasting and Content Affairs Director Huang Wen-che (黃文哲) said.
“We asked her to conclude the investigation as soon as possible, as the controversies could seriously damage the credibility of the channel,” Huang said.
Chen Yaw-shyang said the broadcasting license was granted to Mirror News channel, and the management change at the channel does not affect the ruling.
The commission would only consider revoking the channel’s broadcasting license if it fails to meet the obligations and conditions that the commission has set for it, he said.
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