Mirror News must file an application to change its business plan in accordance with the Satellite Broadcasting Act (衛星廣播電視法), because it elected new board members last week, the National Communications Commission (NCC) said yesterday.
The news channel’s shareholders on Friday elected five new board members: former Chunghwa Telecom chairman Cheng Yu (鄭優), former Kbro general manager Huang Chun-yen (黃俊彥), OneAD founder and chairman Hilo Chen (陳宏宇), attorney Kuo Hui-lan (郭蕙蘭) and Mirror News anchorwoman Liang Fang-chieh (廖芳潔). Deloitte Taiwan accountant Wang Ching-shan (王金山) was elected board supervisor.
The channel said in a statement following the shareholders’ meeting that the comprehensive reshuffling of the board would ensure that it can operate in good order without any confusion, while safeguarding shareholders’ interests.
Photo: Yang Mien-chieh, Taipei Times
The board would promptly select a date for its first meeting and elect a new chairman to guide the channel forward, it added.
Article 15 of the act stipulates that a news channel must file for approval of changes made to an already approved application form or business plan, NCC Vice Chairman and spokesman Wong Po-tsung (翁柏宗) said, adding that the commission’s review would comply with the regulations.
“We will conduct an administrative investigation and, if necessary, invite stakeholders to come to the commission and answer questions,” Wong said.
Two weeks ago, the Legislative Yuan’s Transportation Committee passed a motion requiring the NCC to brief the committee by end of the month with the preliminary results of its investigation into the Mirror News management reshuffle.
The channel on Jan. 19 obtained a satellite broadcasting license after a two-year review by the commission.
However, the channel’s board meeting on March 4 removed then-Mirror News chairman Chen Jian-ping (陳建平) and then-Mirror News general manager Lee Yu-pei (李玉珮) from their posts following allegations that Chen 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.
However, Lee resigned after serving in the position for 11 days.
The channel has announced that it is to start broadcasting on cable on May 8.
Based on its commitments to the commission, the channel must raise its registered capital from NT$1.5 billion to NT$2 billion (US$52.42 million to US$70 million) before it goes on the airwaves.
Taiwan is to commence mass production of the Tien Kung (天弓, “Sky Bow”) III, IV and V missiles by the second quarter of this year if the legislature approves the government’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.78 billion) special defense budget, an official said yesterday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, a defense official with knowledge of the matter said that the advanced systems are expected to provide crucial capabilities against ballistic and cruise missiles for the proposed “T-Dome,” an advanced, multi-layered air defense network. The Tien Kung III is an air defense missile with a maximum interception altitude of 35km. The Tien Kung IV and V
The disruption of 941 flights in and out of Taiwan due to China’s large-scale military exercises was no accident, but rather the result of a “quasi-blockade” used to simulate creating the air and sea routes needed for an amphibious landing, a military expert said. The disruptions occurred on Tuesday and lasted about 10 hours as China conducted live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait. The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said the exercises affected 857 international flights and 84 domestic flights, affecting more than 100,000 travelers. Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a research fellow at the government-sponsored Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said the air
A strong continental cold air mass is to bring pollutants to Taiwan from tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said today, as it issued an “orange” air quality alert for most of the country. All of Taiwan except for Hualien and Taitung counties is to be under an “orange” air quality alert tomorrow, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. In China, areas from Shandong to Shanghai have been enveloped in haze since Saturday, the ministry said in a news release. Yesterday, hourly concentrations of PM2.5 in these areas ranged from 65 to 160 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m³), and pollutants were
Taiwan’s armed forces have established response protocols for a wide range of sudden contingencies, including the “Wan Chun Plan” to protect the head of state, the Ministry of Defense (MND) said today. After US President Donald Trump on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, concerns have been raised as to whether China would launch a similar “decapitation strike” on Taiwan. The armed forces regularly coordinate with relevant agencies and practice drills to ensure preparedness for a wide range of scenarios, Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) told reporters before a