Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)
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Media Environment
News media environment in Chinese Taipei (also known as Taiwan) has changed dramatically since its dying second-generation President, Chiang Ching-kuo, declared an end to the longest period of Martial Law the world has ever seen (since 1947). Indeed, it is easy to forget the days of iron-fisted rule by his father, Chiang Kai-shek, when censorship of the foreign media came just as strongly from a US government anxious to provide a bastion of anti-communism opposite China.
Since its de-facto sponsor pulled out in 1979 much of the world’s attention has focused on China, and Taiwan’s government has become anxious to speak to just about anyone willing to give it an ear. Many news organisations have since closed down their offices in Taipei, maintaining only a loose network of correspondents and stringers, except for regional media and international wire services.
Anticipating a mass exodus of news media from Hong Kong in the wake of its hand-over to China, the government announced several years ago a plan to turn the country into what it called an ‘Asian Media Centre’. Little, however, appears to have been generated from its rather abstract parameters.
The government is generally nation-blind when it comes to accreditation, except in the obvious case of journalists from China. Even delegations from former Communist countries are welcomed, while those from China are allowed neither the right of lengthy stays (more than two months) nor regular accreditation.
Taiwan is home to some 350 newspapers, all privately owned and covering a broad spectrum of views. Laws prohibiting support for independence from China or from communism are seldom enforced.
Taiwan currently has three English-language dailies, the China Post (www.chinapost.com.tw/), the Taiwan News (www.etaiwannews.com/etn/index_en.php), and the Taipei Times (www.taipeitimes.com/News/), The Taiwan Economic News provides economic and business news from Taiwan. Taiwan Headlines (www.taiwanheadlines.govt.tw) is a government site carrying articles from Taiwan’s English-language press and translations of the island’s Chinese language newspapers. Most international newspapers and magazines, as well as CNN, NBC and several Hong Kong channels, are widely available in Taipei and Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s largest cities.
The state-owned Central News Agency (CNA) (www.cna.com.tw/cnaeng) carries English-language pages.
Terrestrial television networks account for the bulk of television viewing and tend to be politically aligned. Taiwan has the highest take-up of cable television in the region, at around 85 percent. The government has declared an intention to end political and military ownership of broadcast media.
Among existing channels are the four commercial enterprises, China Television Company (CTV), Chinese Television System (CTS), Taiwan Television Enterprise (TTV) and Formosa Television (FTV), and the public broadcaster Public Television Service (PTS).
There are more than 170 radio stations, many of which broadcast popular phone-in programmes. The Broadcasting Corporation of China (BCC) operates national and regional networks, while national broadcaster CBS-Radio Taiwan International also transmits services to mainland China and worldwide in a number of languages and Chinese dialects. International Community Radio Taipei (ICRT) is an English-language FM station providing island-wide programming 24 hours a day, while government-run Public Radio System (PRS) broadcasts travel, weather and community information.
News Gathering
Taiwan now has one of the freest and most competitive media environments in Asia. Reporting by foreign journalists is virtually restriction-free, though visiting reporters are expected to register with the Government Information Office. The GIO can be contacted to arrange interviews with government officials, preferably two weeks in advance, although it is possible to make arrangements on the ground. While the same remains generally true for opposition officials and non-government organisations, they are generally grateful for the attention of the foreign press because it occurs infrequently.
In the absence of bureaus in Taiwan, many organisations rely either on stringers or fixers to arrange visits by regular correspondents. Many of the existing agencies, such as AP and AFP, as well as the local ICRT Radio station, can be of help in obtaining such services.
Practical Tips
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Mandarin is the official language of Taiwan and has been the language of instruction in schools for more than 50 years. However, the lingua franca for most locals is Min-nan — ‘Taiwanese’, a dialect originating in China’s Fujian Province directly across the Taiwan Strait. Min-nan is increasingly used in the broadcast media. Many older people are also fluent in Japanese, as a result of the 50-year colonial rule by Japan (1895-1945). In 2002 Taiwan replaced the Wade-Giles system of Chinese romanisation with the pinyin system used on the Mainland. This often results in several romanisations for the same person or place. For ‘vox-pop’ reporting purposes, it is almost essential to hire translators. When dealing directly with government officials, however, it is often possible to use English.
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Taipei is making a gradual transition from a regional metropolis to a cosmopolitan city, complete with a mostly underground mass transit system and an integrated bus network. For many visitors, however, taxis remain the most efficient way of getting around, and although many drivers speak some English, it is always a good idea to have someone write the Chinese address down. Unless travelling right across the city, half an hour is usually more than sufficient to get from one place to another.
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Accommodation in Taipei — and throughout the island — can be found in virtually any price range at competitive rates. The difficulty is finding four- and five-star hotels with good business centre services. Many frequent visitors, particularly journalists, prefer the Far Eastern, Rebar, Hyatt and Regency Hotels, although the latter is by far the most expensive. Other reputable accommodation can be found at the Howard Plaza, the Ritz, Sherwood, Intercontinental and Lai Lai Sheraton Hotels. The Lai Lai is the standard-bearer for guests of the Government Information Office, as it is the closest to most government offices.
Contributor: Vaughan Yarwood
Latest update September 2008
