After the legislature passed the Statute Regarding the Disposition of Government Shareholdings in the Terrestrial Television Industry (無線電視事業公股處理條例) in 2006, the Government Information Office (GIO) formed a task force of academics to assess a proposal to establish a Taiwan Broadcasting System (TBS) station in the south.
In February this year, the GIO allocated NT$10 million (US$313,000) to the Public Television Service (PTS) for the project.
However, questions such as how to encourage residents in the south to become more involved in the media industry, push forward the development of the media industry, integrate resources, distinguish the new station from existing TBS channels and increase the exposure of productions made in the south have not gained much attention.
The ultimate goal of the project was not to simply construct a building or purchase transmission equipment, but to include content with viewpoints from locations other than Taipei in the nation’s programming.
It would also offer more job opportunities for media workers in the south.
As the transportation network is gradually improving and as we enter the digital era, the country can be seen as a single community and government thinking should not be limited to considering where to erect a broadcasting relay station.
In its initial plan, the PTS hopes the government will approve and open another digital terrestrial channel so that the station in the south can be completely independent from the main station in Taipei.
In addition to buildings and equipment purchases, more than 300 people would need to be hired for the new station, so well over NT$4 billion will be required at the initial stage.
After it is established, the new channel will have huge operational costs. It is thus clear that the budget allocated by the government is not sufficient and that alternative solutions must be considered.
At present, most households in Taiwan have cable TV, but digital broadcasting is not yet universal.
This implies that it will be impossible to spread the southern viewpoint through terrestrial TV in the next few years.
It would be better to adopt a step-by-step approach.
Before establishing any new station, the PTS could adjust the content of its programming by adding talk shows about southern issues and reducing the Taipei-centered content on commercial channels.
It should also commission southern media companies to produce TV programs to boost the southern media sector and increase employment opportunities.
Last month, the PTS established a news center in the south, making it more convenient for residents to participate in discussions on public affairs. It is said that the government will also push forward a proposal to build news centers in central and eastern Taiwan.
After these expansions have been carried out, cost effectiveness will be assessed and the news centers could gradually transform into a local TV operating centers.
From the perspective of operating costs, a digital TV station spends between NT$1.5 billion and NT$2 billion each year. Except for Taiwan Television, which has broken even, the other stations have run deficits. The annual operating cost of NT$700 million to NT$800 million proposed by the PTS is clearly insufficient.
What is more important is that TBS operate independently in order to remain objective and neutral, so it must be able to raise funds on its own in addition to seeking sponsorship from the government.
In the past, although the PTS was funded by the government and thus was not under pressure to turn a profit, its management efficiency was lower than that of private TV stations.
The number of employees at Chinese Television System (CTS) or at PTS exceeds any private TV station by more than 100 people. In addition, the net losses of CTS and PTS are twice as high as those of private TV stations. Sustaining operation of a TBS station in the south will not be easy.
As far as I understand, not only did the GIO demand that PTS Foundation assess the proposal in terms of its efficacy and effectiveness, but in the budget for next year, funds allocated for the initial arrangement of the proposal have been prioritized.
People from all sectors should dismiss political ideology and rationally discuss the proposal to ensure that the project meets the demands of residents in the south.
Chen Ching-ho is former chairman of Taiwan Television and a professor in the Department of Radio and Television at Chengchi University.
Translated by Ted Yang
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