Ten cable service operators have withdrawn their applications to have Taiwan Television (TTV) broadcast on Channel 52, the National Communications Commission (NCC) said yesterday.
Channel 52 became a much-coveted spot on the nation’s cable system after the commission in 2020 rejected CTi News’ license renewal application. CTi News had occupied the spot until then.
After the commission in March last year approved HomePlus Digital’s application to have the Chinese Television System (CTS) broadcast on Channel 52, three other multiple service operators — Kbro Co, Taiwan Fixed Network Media Co and Taiwan Optical Platform — also applied to have CTS air on the channel. Their application has yet to be approved by the commission.
Taiwan Fixed Network Media Co originally applied to have TTV broadcast on Channel 52, but changed its application.
The 10 cable service operators that withdrew their applications are all affiliated with Taiwanese media tycoon Lien Tai-sheng (練台生). They broadcast in service areas in Taipei, as well as on Taiwan’s outlying islands, and in Hualien, Taitung and Changhua counties.
The cable service operators on Tuesday told the commission that they wanted to drop their applications for now as they needed to “provide additional supporting materials,” NCC Vice Chairman and spokesman Wong Po-tsung (翁柏宗) said, adding that they can still file new applications.
However, a source familiar with the matter told the Taipei Times that TTV management had received a tip that the applications would not be passed at the weekly commissioners’ meeting yesterday.
As the network is to celebrate its 60th anniversary on April 28, TTV management told the cable service operators to withdraw their applications to save the network from the embarrassment, the source said.
Industry observers said that the case was highly unusual, considering TTV’s application was filed a year ago, and withdrawing the application would make it even more difficult to secure Channel 52.
NCC commissioners have spoken about dividing cable channels into different channel blocks based on the type of programs they broadcast, Wong said.
“As the current news channel block — channels 49 to 58 — has only limited spots available, there have been discussions about having a second news block. However, the channel lineups are arranged through negotiations between channel and cable system operators, and the commission would have to discuss the issues with these stakeholders first,” the commission said.
“We have noticed, however, that some cable service operators have placed some of the news channels after channel 80,” it said.
Nipah virus infection is to be officially listed as a category 5 notifiable infectious disease in Taiwan in March, while clinical treatment guidelines are being formulated, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. With Nipah infections being reported in other countries and considering its relatively high fatality rate, the centers on Jan. 16 announced that it would be listed as a notifiable infectious disease to bolster the nation’s systematic early warning system and increase public awareness, the CDC said. Bangladesh reported four fatal cases last year in separate districts, with three linked to raw date palm sap consumption, CDC Epidemic Intelligence
The manufacture of the remaining 28 M1A2T Abrams tanks Taiwan purchased from the US has recently been completed, and they are expected to be delivered within the next one to two months, a source said yesterday. The Ministry of National Defense is arranging cargo ships to transport the tanks to Taiwan as soon as possible, said the source, who is familiar with the matter. The estimated arrival time ranges from late this month to early next month, the source said. The 28 Abrams tanks make up the third and final batch of a total of 108 tanks, valued at about NT$40.5 billion
Two Taiwanese prosecutors were questioned by Chinese security personnel at their hotel during a trip to China’s Henan Province this month, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. The officers had personal information on the prosecutors, including “when they were assigned to their posts, their work locations and job titles,” MAC Deputy Minister and spokesman Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said. On top of asking about their agencies and positions, the officers also questioned the prosecutors about the Cross-Strait Joint Crime-Fighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance Agreement, a pact that serves as the framework for Taiwan-China cooperation on combating crime and providing judicial assistance, Liang
A group from the Taiwanese Designers in Australia association yesterday represented Taiwan at the Midsumma Pride March in Melbourne. The march, held in the St. Kilda suburb, is the city’s largest LGBTQIA+ parade and the flagship event of the annual Midsumma Festival. It attracted more than 45,000 spectators who supported the 400 groups and 10,000 marchers that participated this year, the association said. Taiwanese Designers said they organized a team to march for Taiwan this year, joining politicians, government agencies, professionals and community organizations in showing support for LGBTQIA+ people and diverse communities. As the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex
RSS