TAIWAN: China making moves on Taiwan's radio industry

Chinese authorities have attempted to obtain radio broadcast licenses in Taiwan and to purchase local radio stations

Taipei Times
Thursday, October 7, 2004

Chinese authorities have attempted to obtain radio broadcast licenses in Taiwan and to purchase local radio stations, Government Information Office (GIO) Director-General Lin Chia-lung said yesterday.

Lin revealed during an question and answer session at the legislature yesterday that intelligence information indicated that these applications were submitted on the Chinese government's behalf by nominally unaffiliated organizations for the purpose of furthering China's nationalistic message.

"In Taiwan about 300,000 people listen to radio programs broadcast from China, and China intends to increase the size of its Taiwanese audience," Lin said.

Lin also brought attention to the cross-strait activities recently hosted by China's Central People's Radio Station, saying that the station had already conducted seven so far.

According to Lin, radio station employees and residents of southern and central Taiwan were often invited to China to participate in these cross-strait "friendship building" activities.

Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) legislative leader Lo Chih-ming also confirmed that a radio broadcast host from Kaohsiung's KISS radio station, along with another radio show host from a Taichung-based station, had been present during the most recent cross-strait activity organized by the Central People's Radio Station in August.

According to Lo, the two radio show hosts had discussed the possibility of establishing a system for the simultaneous broadcast of radio programs in Taiwan and in China.

The GIO was quick to reiterate yesterday however that simultaneous broadcast of Chinese radio programs at home and in China had to be authorized by the GIO.

Samuel Wu, director of the GIO's Department of Broadcasting Affairs, said that in accordance with the Act Governing Relations Between Peoples of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, Chinese radio programs had to be licensed for broadcast before being aired.

Date Posted: 10/7/2004