Ten cable service operators have withdrawn their applications to have Taiwan Television (TTV) broadcast on Channel 52, the National Communications Commission (NCC) said yesterday.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.
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