Good TV Channel 2 (好消息二台) and Wolves Valley Entertainment Channel (狼谷育樂台) were given warnings for failing to broadcast the required percentage of domestically-produced programs last year, the National Communications Commission (NCC) said yesterday, after reviewing the performances of 195 terrestrial and satellite TV channels.
The Regulations on Terrestrial Television Business Broadcasting Domestically-Produced Programs (無線電視事業播送本國自製節目管理辦法) requires that the percentage of domestically produced drama series on terrestrial channels not be lower than 50 percent during prime-time hours, while the percentage of “newly broadcast programs” — Taiwanese programs that have yet to be seen on other channels — should not be lower than 40 percent.
The Regulations on Satellite Broadcasting Program Supplier Broadcasting Domestically-Produced Programs (衛星頻道節目供應事業播送本國節目管理辦法) stipulate that the percentage of domestically-produced drama series, movies, variety shows and children’s programs on satellite channels should not be lower than 25 percent during prime-time hours, and the percentage of newly broadcast Taiwanese programs should not be lower than 40 percent.
Photo: Taipei Times
Satellite channels that only broadcast movies and documentaries during prime-time hours must maintain domestically-produced programs at 25 percent, and the ratio of newly broadcast Taiwanese programs shall not be lower than 20 percent.
Drama series, movies, variety shows and children’s programs are considered top priority programs that facilitate the accumulation of cultural knowledge, the commission said.
Christian television station Good TV and gaming channel Wolves Valley, both of which are satellite channels, are the only two channels that failed to meet the requirements last year, said Chen Chin-shuan (陳金霜), a senior specialist at the NCC’s Department of Broadcasting and Content.
The two channels told the commission that they failed to broadcast the correct percentage of newly broadcast programs last year because the filming of programs was suspended when the nation was under a level 3 COVID-19 alert, Chen said.
They said that the measure was implemented to “protect the health and well-being of hosts and guests on the programs,” she added.
Wolves Valley, which terminated its operations at the end of last year, failed to reach the percentage of newly broadcast variety shows, Chen added.
Good TV was given a warning as it was the first time that the channel had failed to meet the required percentage for newly broadcast children’s programs, Chen said, adding that the channel might be fined next year should it again fail to meet the required percentage this year.
Overall, terrestrial channels performed relatively better last year in terms of airing domestically-produced, newly broadcast drama series, the commission said.
For example, Formosa TV’s terrestrial channel had all of its drama series produced in Taiwan, while Taiwan Television had 92.4 percent of its programs produced in the nation, it said.
Satellite channels showed a significant increase in the percentage of domestically-produced, newly broadcast variety shows, while the percentage of domestically-produced, newly broadcast drama series, movies and children’s programs declined, the commission said.
It attributed the decline to the COVID-19 pandemic, which limited the capacity to produce new programs.
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