Formosa Plastics Group’s (FPG) attempt to establish a new TV news channel within the Gala TV network (八大新聞台) was thwarted again yesterday after the National Communications Commission (NCC) rejected its application for the second time.
FPG became the owner of Gala TV in 2014 through the acquisition of an investment firm established by the three sons of the group’s cofounder, Wang Yung-tsai (王永在).
The NCC first turned down the network’s application to establish a new news channel in July last year after it failed to convince NCC commissioners that the proposed programming on the channel would be substantially different from those on its existing channels.
The network also failed to explain clearly how the news channel would handle issues involving environmental protection, as the group has faced criticism for the pollution its factories have created.
Gala TV refiled its application in October last year and the commission again rejected it yesterday, NCC spokesman Wong Po-tsung (翁柏宗) said.
“Gala TV failed to provide specific answers to the various issues raised in its previous application, nor did it provide details on how it plans to enforce its business plan for the news channel. The business model that the network proposed for the new channel was no different from its other news operations,” Wong said.
The network’s proposed candidates for the news channel’s board and overseer are FPG executives and the network did not clarify how it plans to handle news involving the group, he said.
Despite the rejection, Gala TVcan again file for approval, he said, adding that the commission would review it according to the law.
Gala TV said in a statement that it would not give up on its goal of providing new perspectives in journalism.
“We are not striving to profit from public opinion, nor are we trying to beautify a certain corporation. Formosa Plastics Group has greatly contributed to society and it is entitled to have its voice heard and to spread a positive message through its news channel. We will not avoid covering positive news about the group because we handle it professionally and ethically, nor will we avoid reporting negative news about the group, as we will use equally high standards to examine them,” the network said.
The Constitution protects the freedoms of speech and of the press, and Gala TV has done everything it could to find a balance between professionalism and profitability and to reconcil social and corporate values, it said.
Gala TV’s plan is to establish a news channel that can break away from the traditional model and utilize the latest communication technology, it said, adding that 30 percent of its news coverage would be international affairs.
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