20111101 NCC chief grilled over Want Want

NCC chief grilled over Want Want

PRESS: Lawmakers asked why nearly half of the members had avoided reviewing the proposed merger and whether the NCC had clear standards

By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter

A National Communications Commission (NCC) official faced tough questioning yesterday at the legislature’s Transportation Committee over the commission’s review of the Want Want China Times Group’s proposal to purchase China Network Systems.

The session started off on a bad note as lawmakers were displeased to see that only one of the seven commissioners — National Communications Commission Chairperson Su Herng (蘇蘅) — was at the session.

The lawmakers asked Su why three of the commissioners had quit reviewing the case.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lo Shu-lei (羅淑蕾) asked whether the three commissioners were afraid to review the case, and suggested that since they had decided to avoid the case, then they should resign from their post.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Kuo Wen-cheng (郭玟成) said that having nearly half of the commissioners run away from reviewing a case was ridiculous.

DPP Legislator Yeh Yi-jin (葉宜津) asked if the proposed merger would be decided by the four remaining commissioners — three of whom specialize in telecommunications or Internet communications.

Su said she had tried to invite the three commissioners back, but that according to regulations, the remaining four could continue the review process.

Legislators also expressed concern that approving the merger would lead to a media monopoly that could reduce media diversity and freedom of the press.

Citing the Rupert Murdoch and News Corp scandal, Lo said the commission should consider whether approving Want Want’s proposed merger would have the -effect of creating a media monster.

Yeh asked if the commission had done its research and investigated how many households would be affected by the merger.

When Su replied that the data had been provided by Want Want, Yeh said the commission should be more aggressive in acquiring information related to the case to win the public’s trust.

Yeh asked Su to set a clear deadline of when the commission could decide on a set of standards for reviewing the case.

“With no clear review standards, how can you tell us you will be able to review the case fairly,” Yeh said.

“You have to promise us that the decision would not be made before clear review standards are set,” Yeh said.

Su did not give Yeh a definitive answer except to repeatedly say: “We will make an effort,” adding that she would forward the lawmakers’ advice to the commission.

DPP Legislator Lin Shu-fen (林淑芬) asked if the commission knew about a memo between Want Want and China Network Systems that the merger deal would end if Want Want could not gain its approval before the end of this year.

She urged the commission not to rush into a decision when there were still so many issues that need to be resolved to address public concerns.

Su said she did not know about the memo, but that the commission would follow strict standards in reviewing the case.

As for the legislators’ questions about whether Want Want’s merger funds include Chinese money and whether this might affect its media content, Su said investigation of the funding sources was done by the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Su also maintained during the session that she could not answer some of the lawmakers’ questions because she could not make public the content of the ongoing review process and that as the commission works as a collegiate system, she could not represent the commission.